Improving drug adherence will take more than money and technology

I recently asked, “Who’s to blame?” for patients not taking their medications and cited a couple of papers describing the poor state of medication adherence. I concluded nonadherence was a huge problem, and doctors failing to educate their patients was not a major cause. To support my contention that physicians are not the reason why patients do not take their medications as ordered I submit the following new information. A randomized clinical trial published online in JAMA Internal Medicine looked at patients who had been discharged after myocardial infarction and prescribed drugs known to decrease the incidence of future negative outcomes such as readmission for a vascular event including acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stroke, congestive heart failure, or death. The investigators looked at whether incentivizing patients to take their medications would have any impact on adherence. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Meds Cardiology Medications Primary Care Source Type: blogs