Patient non-compliance with medication is a problem that can have adverse effects on patient outcomes. Non-compliance with medication can occur in the in-patient or out-patient setting. Leigh (2010) estimates as many as 50% of all prescriptions filled—between one and 1.5 billion—per year are not taken correctly (p. 1). Moreover, there are different types of non-compliance, including taking medications incorrectly, taking the wrong dose or at the wrong frequency, or not taking the medications at all. The causes of patient non-compliance with medication can be traced to miscommunication, requiring healthcare leaders to take a more active role in patient advocacy and education. Misunderstandings of how a medication should be taken, what the medication is for, and other issues related to patient education can be directly solved via direct intervention and improved communication. However, some of the causes of patient non-compliance with medication are due to structural issues including the costs of medication and the fact that many medications are not vegetarian and therefore inappropriate for many patients. Not understanding what the medication is for, how it needs to be administered, and in what dose means that patients are not receiving proper education. As Leigh (2010) points out, proper education about medications “reduces readmissions, emergency...
References
De Brincat, M. (2012). Medication adherence: patient education, communication, and behaviour. Journal of the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice 18(2002).
Hoesli, T.M. & Smith, K.M (2011). Effects of religious and personal beliefs on medication regimen design. Orthopedics 34(4): 292-295.
Leigh, E. (2010). Teaching patients about their medications. The Center for Healthcare Communication. Retrieved online: http://www.communicatingwithpatients.com/articles/teaching_about_meds.html
Weiner, S. (2001). I can’t afford that! Journal of General Internal Medicine 16(6): 412-418.
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