Involving Patients in Decisions about Prescribed Medicines and Supporting Adherence
Between one third and one half of all medicines prescribed for long term conditions are not taken as recommended. It is however extremely important that patients adhere to prescribers’ recommendations in order to maximize benefits and improve overall health. Non- adherence, which may be intentional or unintentional, is not solely the patients’ problem, as quite often it is as a result of a lapse in the delivery of health care. In some cases patients may have failed to fully agree to the prescription; and in others, the prescribers may not have identified or provided the patients with the necessary information or support that they may have needed later on.    

 

Patients' perspectives of medicine and reasons why they may not want or are unable to use them need to be explored in order to address non-adherence. It is the responsibilty of healthcare professionals to help patients make informed decisions about treatment and use appropriately prescribed medicines, in order to achieve the best results. Patients should also be encouraged to become more involved by establishing a good patient- professional relationship. In this way, healthcare professionals can assess patients’ knowledge on the assigned prescriptions, as well as their possible reasons for non- adherence.  

 

According to NICE, the following requirements must be met to ensure that non- adherence is combatted:
  • A frank and easy approach which recognises that non-adherence may be the norm (or at least very common) and takes a no-blame approach, encouraging patients to discuss non-adherence and any doubts or concerns they may have about treatment.
  • A patient-centred approach that encourages informed adherence.
  • Identification of specific and perpetual barriers for each individual, both at the time of prescribing and during regular review, because preceptions, practical problems and adherence may change over time.

An increasing number of healthcare professionals are now involved in the prescribing, dispensing and reviewing of medicines. It is therefore extremely important that these professionals have the necessary tools to exercise all these roles effectively. RioMed’s Cellma offers healthcare professionals the cohesion they need; and in doing so offers comprehension to what have otherwise been tedious exercises. Comprising a pharmacy module, prescribing and dispensing is made easier. Tailored assessments also make it easy to record patients’ lifestyle choices which may directly or indirectly affect their ability to adhere to their prescriptions. Cellma would allow healthcare professionals to send reminders to their patients via text messages to remind them of follow up appointments and repeat prescriptions. Patient and service dashboards would make the formulation of generalizations, and the comparison between the rates of adherence and non-adherence, along with possible reasons why, much easier. RioMed’s Cellma works with Clinicians to improve healthcare.  

 

 

For more information: Medicines Adherence

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Last Updated ( Monday, 07 February 2011 )