How Proactive Patient Communication Solves Medication Non-Adherence

“Drugs对不服用的病人不起作用。” − Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Coop, MD

Patient adherence to their prescribed medications is essential for optimal outcomes, especially as it relates to chronic disease prevention and management. The consequences for medication non-adherence can include poor quality of life, physical limitations, hospitalization, or worse. Yet, according to the Centers of Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), approximately20 to 30 percentof prescriptions are never filled, and only50 percent患有慢性疾病的病人要按照医嘱服药。

What Factors Contribute to Medication Non-Adherence?

Even though patients generally want to do what’s best for their health, adherence persists as a significant problem. There are several potential factors:

• 病人教育不足。Patients may not take medications because they don’t understand the benefits of the therapy or potential consequences of non-adherence.
• 复杂的治疗方案。Patients may simply have trouble remembering what their doctor told them. They may require extra support to remember what medications to take and when to take them.
• Financial limitations.Medications can be expensive, and patients may stop taking a medication because they can’t afford it, or their insurance coverage changes, making the medication more expensive.
• Logistical issues.Transportation limitations can make it difficult for patients to stay on track with their medication. If a patient needs to visit a pharmacy regularly—especially if they have multiple medications refilled on different dates—they may not be able to pick them up.

How to Avoid Medication Non-Adherence and Its Costs: Patient Engagement Platform

药物的不依从性可能是昂贵的。In the United States alone, poor medication adherence results in$100 to $300 billionin annual healthcare costs. In response, providers can address many of the known barriers to medication adherence by implementing apatient engagement technologythat proactively communicates with patients and enables the following:

Bi-Directional Communication

Research has identifiedtext messagingas an effective tool to support adherence.这种广泛使用的沟通方式有助于组织与患者保持联系，弥合资源和服务之间的差距，并提供有价值的信息和提醒。与患者护理过程相一致的数字通信可以帮助患者保持参与和正轨。

Just-in-Time Messages

确保患者能够通过及时的信息和循序渐进的指导来主动解决坚持用药的障碍。关键信息包括他们为什么要服药，坚持服药的好处，以及减轻副作用的资源。

Educational Resources

Most patients don’t have medical training and will find lengthy, technical documents intimidating. If they can’t understand the information, they’ll struggle more to comply with their care plan. Timely, simple messages can break down complex information into an understandable, useful format that’s easier for patients to digest and follow.

Furthermore, creating engaging content, like educational videos, and providing a steady stream of content over time helps to keep patients engaged for the long term.

Reminders, Encouragement, and Ongoing Motivation

In addition to educational content that ensures patients understand their medications, care teams must also encourage patients to stick with their care plan and remind them why it’s so important. If a patient reaches a new milestone or has improved their health condition, acknowledging this can be a great motivator. Recognition, reminders, and gentle nudges can help patients feel connected to their treatment journey and empowered to make healthy choices.

Awareness of Barriers Before They Have a Negative Impact

Make sure patients have a way to report barriers to adherence. Prompting patients to report what they are experiencing helps care teams get ahead of potential issues. Helpful tools, such as patient surveys, can alert care teams of potential issues, which they can then address. For organizations with financial support and transportation services, proactively informing patients about these resources better supports any patients who may benefit from them.

Patient Engagement Solution Improves Care Delivery via Automated Communications

Using patient engagement solutions to automate communications helps organizations provide personalized care without increasing staff workload and is a valuable tool in addressing medication non-adherence.

了解领先的专业药房Credena Health如何使用Health Catalyst的Twistle™来提高药物遵从性，并减少员工在配送物流上花费世界杯葡萄牙vs加纳即时走地的时间。通过实施Twistle途径，Credena健康实现了57%的分娩安排时间的减少和4.4%的专业药物依从性的增加。Download the case study to learn more.

Additional Reading

Would you like to learn more about this topic? Here are some articles we suggest:

• Drive Better Outcomes with Four Data-Informed Patient Engagement Tactics
• The Secret to Patient Compliance: An Application of The Four Tendencies Framework
• 10 Motivational Interviewing Strategies for Deeper Patient Engagement in Care Management
• The Digitization of Healthcare: Why the Right Approach Matters and Five Steps to Get There
• Quality Data Is Essential for Doctors Concerned with Patient Engagement