If you tend to forget your medications, we’ve got the tech tip for you. You can set up medication reminders on your iPhone thanks to Apple’s latest operating system. This way, you can get scheduled reminders so you never forget.
Tricks like this can make a world of difference. After all, many of us spend a ton of money on our medications.
Keep reading to learn how to use your iPhone to set up medication reminders. It’s good for your wallet and your health.
To some, it’s a matter of life and death
Don’t feel bad for being forgetful. Many Americans forget to take their medicine regularly. According to The American Journal of Managed Care, around 50% of Americans don’t take long-term therapy medications as prescribed.
In other words, they aren’t following the instructions. Medical professionals call this “medication adherence.” So if you don’t adhere to your doctor’s guidelines, you’re not using your medication correctly.
Not only can this render medications ineffective, but it can also exacerbate health issues down the line. Statistics paint a scary story. Not sticking to your medication’s directions causes up to 25% of hospitalizations in the U.S., the National Library of Medicine reports.
In a worst-case scenario, this can lead to death. An estimated 125,000 people die each year due to medication non-adherence.
Bottom line: Forgetting your medications can be dangerous. Good news. Even if you have a terrible memory, you can use your smartphone to ensure you follow doctor’s orders.
RELATED: If you forget to take your prescription pills, Alexa can now remind you
How to set up medication reminders on iPhone
The easiest way to begin is by searching for the medication’s name in your iPhone’s database. We’ll share all the steps you need to follow.
But first, you need to open the Health app on your iPhone. In the Health app, select Browse > Medications > Add a Medication. From there, you can set up reminders to take your medicine.
Add a medication with your camera
- On your iPhone XR or later, open the Health app.
- Tap Browse, then tap Medications.
- Tap Add Medication.
- Tap the camera icon, then tap Get Started. If prompted, allow the Health app to access your camera.
- Position the medication label in the frame.
- Tap Next.
- Tap Frequency to select an interval, then tap Done.
- Tap Add a time to further specify when you take the medication, then tap Next.
- Choose the shape of your medication and tap Next, or you can tap Skip.
- Select the color of the Medication and Background to customize it.
- Review your Medication details and enter any Optional Details, then tap Next.
How to manually add a medication
- On your iPhone, open the Health app.
- Tap Browse, then tap Medications.
- Tap Add Medication. If you are using Health Records on your iPhone, you’ll see suggestions from your health records.
- Enter the name of the medication in the Search field.
- If you’re in the U.S., and the medication is listed, tap the medication.
- If you’re outside of the U.S., or the medication is not listed, tap Add, then tap Next.
- Choose the Medication Type. If the medication is unlisted, enter the Strength of the medication or select No Strength Information.
- Tap Next.
- Tap Frequency to select an interval, then tap Done.
- Tap Add a time to further specify when you take the medication, then tap Next.
- Choose the shape of your medication and tap Next, or you can tap Skip.
- Select the color of the Medication and Background to customize it.
- Review your Medication details and enter any Optional Details, then tap Next.
- Select any life factors that might pose an interaction risk with your medication, then tap Done.
After adding your medications, you can scroll to the More section of the Medications screen and tap Export PDF to save or share a copy of your current medications.
