Adherence is a hard pill to swallow
by Michelle Roberts — December 01, 2011
Almost three in four Americans fail to follow doctor’s orders for taking prescription drugs, a problem that is associated with 125,000 patient deaths each year, according to the National Consumers League.
An article last month in Drug Topics states that 15 to 30 percent of initial prescriptions are not filled and of those that are filled, 20 to 40 percent are not filled a second time. The article summarizes research that found that professional interventions improve medication adherence. The study also determined that patients need help to understand the importance of sticking to their medication plans.
The health care marketplace is responding to the problem with several creative products. The American Medical Association’s (AMA) first consumer phone app, My Medications, helps patients to manage their medications, immunizations, allergies and to access their medical team’s contact information. In addition, FICO, known best for its calculation of credit scores, is developing a Medication Adherence Score to predict the likelihood of an individual to take prescription medication as directed.
At Health Literacy Missouri (HLM), we view medication adherence as a major health literacy issue. Our recently released documentary features a St. Louis patient who became so confused and frustrated by his 50-pill regimen for cancer, AIDs and Hepatitis C that he considered stopping treatment altogether. He worked with a doctor who streamlined his treatment plan, and is now living a much happier and healthier life.
The risks of not understanding and following medication treatment plans are great. People are more likely to face serious medication errors that can lead to hospitalization and even die from complications.
One strategy we recommend in our Clear Understanding training is for providers to initiate a medication reconciliation, or Brown Bag Review. Patients bring all of their medications (including vitamins and over-the-counter drugs) to the doctor’s appointment. They identify each medication, how it is taken and how often. The doctor can then see where potential medical issues might arise and help clear up any confusion.
What do you think can be done to improve medication adherence?