{"id":12595,"date":"2018-09-03T15:06:24","date_gmt":"2018-09-03T09:36:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mobisoftinfotech.com\/resources\/?p=12595"},"modified":"2025-12-30T17:51:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T12:21:37","slug":"pharmacist-role-in-medication-adherence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mobisoftinfotech.com\/resources\/blog\/pharmacist-role-in-medication-adherence","title":{"rendered":"Understanding How Pharmacist Interventions Improve Medication Adherence"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cDrugs don\u2019t work in patients who don\u2019t take them.<\/em>\u201d<\/strong> – Former US Surgeon General C. Everett Koop<\/p>\n

Non-compliance with prescribed regimens can cause grave health consequences. Worldwide, non-adherence is a major hurdle in providing effective healthcare, achieving disease control and preventing adverse events.<\/p>\n

The World Health Organization defines<\/a> medication adherence as “the degree to which a person’s behavior corresponds to the agreed recommendations from a healthcare provider.” Though medication adherence commonly refers to drug compliance, in a broader sense this includes all treatment instructions such as self-care, medical device use, exercises, and therapy sessions.<\/p>\n

Missing even a single dose of treatment may trigger disease progression in cancer patients or cause a relapse for patients with multiple sclerosis. Though there are many smartphone-based technologies that remind patients about their medications or prescription refills, pharmacists still have a major role in increasing medication adherence. Adherence must be tackled as a team by the healthcare system, social networks as well as the caregivers. Though a single intervention or intervener cannot adequately address a problem as complicated as patient medication nonadherence, pharmacists can make a significant impact in many ways.<\/p>\n

The Five Root Causes of Patient Non-Adherence to Medication<\/h3>\n

Patients have many reasons for not having taken their medications. While the reason may have been involuntary and as simple as having forgotten to take the medicine, there are many patients who voluntarily refuse the medications. The high cost of medicines, complex regimens of medications, lack of education or understanding about the medicines, wrong perceptions about the disease and the effectiveness of the drug involved are some of the reasons for not taking the medicines.<\/p>\n

Some patients with asymptomatic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia may not feel the need to take medicines. Fear of adverse side effects, a general distrust of medications or poor patient-physician communication can lead to patients avoiding the given medications. Non-adherence to medication can lead to medical problems becoming more complicated and costlier in the long run. In order to improve the treatment outcomes and to reduce costs, health systems should study the major causes of non -adherence and figure out the best ways to overcome them.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The high cost of medicines
    \n<\/strong>