To improve chronic disease outcomes and curb health care costs, it is paramount that patients follow prescriptions as directed. When they do not—deliberately or unintentionally the results may include poor clinical outcomes, hospitalization, increased morbidity and mortality, and higher health care costs. Currently, in the United States, about 20% of new prescriptions are never fulfilled; and roughly 50percent are not taken at the appropriate time, frequency, dose, or duration.
Medication adherence can be encouraged, however, by investing the time to inform patients about a treatment and how it benefits them. This can be accomplished through patient/provider discussions, clear product labeling and instructions, and culturally appropriate education materials. Another strategy involves team-based or coordinated care, which might include a pharmacist along with a primary care provider and a specialist. Additionally, obstacles to medication procurement—including financial ones—must be addressed and knocked down, through lower insurance copays, for example. Health information technology tools like e-prescribing and electronic health records offer another opportunity to better medication adherence, by aiding decision-making and communication and by demonstrating in real time the effect of medication use on chronic disease. It also would be wise to study nonadherence among specific populations and tackle it from that perspective—such as by designing patient educational materials based on low health literacy levels among minorities, older adults, and impoverished individuals.
Date: Nov 20, 2017
Want to publish your own articles on DistilINFO Publications?
Send us an email, we will get in touch with you.
