Boost Patient Adherence & Compliance with Auxiliary Labels

A study cited in the National Library of Medicine found that more than 60% of patients misunderstood prescription instructions immediately after seeing their doctor. In a related analysis, many patients were unable to accurately recall their physician’s directions just 10 to 80 minutes later. These misunderstandings can lead to missed doses, harmful interactions, and poor health outcomes. That’s why medication adherence is so critical. It ensures treatments are taken safely, effectively, and as intended. As healthcare providers strive to improve outcomes and reduce medication errors, clear, consistent labeling plays a critical role, one that auxiliary medication labels can aid.

From "Shake Well" to "Take on an Empty Stomach," and “Look Alike Sound Alike Drugs,” these small, color-coded stickers deliver critical information. They reinforce prescription instructions, guide staff to ensure proper administration, and protect patients from avoidable harm.

What Are Auxiliary Medication Labels?

Auxiliary labels are secondary labels applied to prescription containers to highlight important usage instructions, warnings, or storage requirements.

Unlike the primary prescription label, which includes the drug name, dosage, and patient information, auxiliary medication labels draw attention to specific medication instructions that can significantly impact safety and effectiveness.

Common types of auxiliary labels include:

• Storage instructions - Keep Refrigerated, Protect from Light
• Timing and administration - Take with Food, Shake Well Before Use
• Safety warnings - Do Not Drink Alcohol, May Cause Drowsiness
• Special patient instructions - Finish All This Medication, Discard After 10 Days
• Special clinical staff instructions - Caution: Hazardous Drug, Beyond Use Date, Look Alike Sound Alike Drug

These medication instruction labels provide quick, visual cues to help providers administer drugs safely, and patients manage their prescriptions, at home without risk.

How Auxiliary Labels Improve Patient Adherence

Counselling patients on how to use a drug properly is one of the key roles pharmacists perform. But when patients get home, they rely heavily on the information printed on their bottles. That’s where patient adherence labels have proven invaluable.

Auxiliary labels:

• Reinforce verbal instructions with simple, visible cues
• Help patients avoid missed doses or incorrect usage
• Reduce confusion for patients with low health literacy or language barriers
• Alert clinical staff on potential drug interactions and mix ups
• Guide clinical staff on proper administration

For example, a label that reads “Take With Food” or “Anti-inflammatory - Do Not Mix with Steroids” not only clarifies when to take the medication but also helps avoid side effects from improper administration. By providing consistent medication instruction labels, pharmacies support better outcomes and help ensure that medications are taken safely and correctly.

Supporting Pharmacy Compliance and Regulatory Standards

Using auxiliary medication labels is more than a good practice, they’re an essential component of meeting regulatory and accreditation standards.

Joint Commission

Standard MM.01.01.03 focuses on the safe management of high-alert and hazardous medications. Merely posting a list of these drugs isn’t sufficient to meet the standard’s intent. Instead, organizations must implement processes that identify which hazardous or high-alert medications are actively stocked and dispensed. Labels such as “Caution Hazardous Drug” or “High Alert Medication” helps providers meet this standard by clearly identifying risk-category drugs at the point of use.

USP <800>

The USP <800> standard outlines the safe handling, compounding, and transportation of hazardous drugs. Auxiliary labeling plays a direct role in several compliance areas:

• Beyond Use Dates (BUD) labels - alert healthcare workers to the time/day after which a Compounded Sterile Preparation (CSP) must no longer be used, critical for ensuring product stability and safety.
• Handling and Transportation labels - communicate storage, disposal, and hazard category instructions to staff and delivery carriers.
• Drug labels - A compounded drug must be labeled in accordance with state and federal regulations and include generic names, strength, lot number, and BUD.
  • Generic or chemical names of the active ingredients
  • Strength or quantity
  • Pharmacy lot number
  • Beyond-use date
  • Any special storage requirements

Further, while the National Patient Safety Goal NPSG.03.04.01 doesn’t mandate auxiliary labeling, it emphasizes improving medication safety, particularly in labeling, storage, and administration practices.

Common Challenges and Best Practices in Labeling

Auxiliary labels are only effective when used properly. To maximize their effectiveness, keep these best practices in mind:

Examples of High-Impact Auxiliary Labels

Label	Purpose
Keep Refrigerated	Ensures drug stability and efficacy
Take at Bedtime	Reduces drowsiness during daytime
Shake Well Before Use	Makes sure solid particles are fully dissolved
Take With Food	Helps avoid upset stomach or enhance absorption
Discard “10” Days After Opening	Prevents use of expired antibiotics
Avoid Grapefruit Juice	Prevents interference with drug processing
Caution: Look Alike Sound Alike Drug	Alerts caregivers to similar drug names to prevent errors

How United Ad Label Supports Pharmacy Teams

United Ad Label’s extensive selection of pharmacy auxiliary labels are designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing systems and workflows. From large health systems to independent pharmacies, UAL helps teams meet labeling standards while reducing the risk of medication errors.

Explore our Pharmacy Auxiliary Labels today!