Timing Matters: Why Prescription Engagement Shouldn’t Begin and End at ‘Your Rx is Ready’

A message from the pharmacy saying “your prescription is ready” communicates one thing, and one thing only: it’s ready. But it may be too little, too late.

Engagement that starts after patients have already encountered barriers or ends too soon misses opportunities to support providers and patients alike. Recent research points to a better approach: prescription engagement that begins at prescribing and continues through every key touchpoint until therapy is complete.

Timing is key. When providers and patients have the right information at the right moment, it leads to more informed clinical decisions and stronger adherence.

New Results Are Proof Texts Work

According to a collaborative study published in PLOS Digital Health, targeted engagement can significantly improve prescription follow-through. Magnolia Regional Health Center and DrFirst examined more than 1,200 heart failure patients and the findings were clear: Patients who engaged with personalized SMS reminders containing information about the medication had 19% higher odds of filling prescriptions and 6% lower odds of hospital readmission.

“Adherence implies understanding, alignment, and active engagement with care—and that engagement is what ultimately drives better patient outcomes,” Ben Long, M.D., Director of Hospital Medicine at Magnolia Regional Health Center and author of the study, told Pharmacy Times.

The impact was even greater among previously hospitalized patients.

“Where we saw the most substantial improvement in medication adherence was in patients who were readmitted to the hospital,” Weston Blakeslee, PhD, VP of Clinical Intelligence at DrFirst and co-author of the study, said in Medical News Today. “Their fill rates jumped from 50% to 60%, and they were 52% more likely to fill a prescription after receiving and clicking on a text message for more information.”

Patient response was overwhelmingly positive. Nearly all (92%) of participants engaged with the informational texts at least once, and only 7.7% opted out. These results show that well-designed prescription engagement can successfully reach even vulnerable patient populations, overcoming challenges such as forgetfulness and cost, as noted in Pharmacy Times.

Blakeslee emphasized why timing is so critical: “Patients receive messages within minutes of their doctor sending a prescription to the pharmacy—when the information is most relevant and actionable. And it happens automatically, without adding steps for already busy clinical staff.”

The Prescription Follow-Through Problem

The stakes are high. Even with significant advances in medication and technology, non-adherence continues to affect more than half the population and drives over $528 billion in additional healthcare expenses in the U.S. annually. Notably, medication adherence is a strong predictor of positive patient outcomes.

4 Reasons Why Prescription Engagement Works

1. Data Is Available Within the EHR Workflow

When clinicians can see prior authorization needs, specialty pharmacy requirements, formulary preferences, and cost information, it enables them to write a prescription that arrives at the pharmacy ready to fill. Providers can also address barriers during the visit, not after.

2. Patient Nudges Arrive at the Right Time

Patients are most attentive immediately after a healthcare visit, but this window of time is often ignored. It’s the perfect time to send texts that reinforce the importance of a prescribed medication with educational materials, or provide links to patient portals or discharge resources. Early engagement helps prevent patients from falling through the cracks before therapy even begins, reducing avoidable readmissions.

3. Messages Come From a Trusted Source

Patients are more likely to act on information that is from their own care team rather than an unfamiliar third party. In fact, 59% of patients prefer receiving health information directly from their doctors. Messages are sent automatically on behalf of the provider, preserving trust while reinforcing hospital resources and care instructions.

4. RTPB and ePA Help Address Access Barriers

Cost is one of the top reasons patients abandon prescriptions. When patients are surprised by out-of-pocket expenses that are higher than expected at the pharmacy counter, they often simply walk away.

Real-time benefit checks and integrated prior authorization support allow providers to discuss affordability during the visit. Healthcare organizations can also connect patients to financial assistance programs, discount pharmacies, or alternative therapies—before cost becomes a reason to stop care.

Ready to Transform Your Prescription Engagement?

Join us at ViVE or HIMSS to get a demo and see how real-time, workflow-integrated engagement can improve outcomes and reduce readmissions for hospitals and health systems, EHR vendors, and pharma brands. Schedule time here:

• ViVE 2026, Los Angeles, February 22-25
• HIMSS 2026, Las Vegas, March 9-12

And don’t miss the presentation on March 12 at HIMSS26, where Dr. Long from Magnolia Regional Health Center will share real-world results from the prescription engagement study.