New research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found about one in three diabetics never fills the antidiabetic medication prescribed by their doctor. The study is the first to link physician medication orders from Geisinger Health System's electronic health record with insurance claims to show far more diabetics than previously estimated choose not to fill their prescriptions. The findings point to the importance - in terms of long-term wellness and cost-savings - of engaging patients in their diabetes care.
 
For the estimated 1.5 million newly diagnosed diabetics in the United States each year, unwillingness to fill anti-hyperglycemic prescriptions is a major problem. The estimated 35 percent non-fill rate corresponds to 400,000 new diabetic patients each year. Untreated for early-stage diabetes, many of these patients will become candidates for more costly second-line medications that are more likely to cause adverse side effects.
 
The findings offer valuable insight into patient behaviors and why they choose not to fill prescriptions under doctor's orders.
 
Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney disease in the United States.

This article originally appeared in the March 2009 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Electronic Newsletter.