2 Medication Adherence
Learn how to support medication adherence with a realistic routine, practical reminders, medicine-specific missed-dose guidance, and nonjudgmental communication.
What involves
means taking a medicine according to the agreed instructions. A consistent routine can help, but it must fit the medicine’s directions as well as the patient’s daily life.
may include forgetting, a complicated schedule, cost, difficulty obtaining refills, or uncertainty about how or why to take the medicine. Asking about these difficulties without blame helps patients and clinicians identify workable solutions.
Building a workable routine
Linking a dose to a suitable regular activity and setting a reminder can make a routine easier to maintain. The activity must be compatible with the medicine’s instructions; do not change the dose time without checking those instructions.
For several doses scheduled at different times, discuss practical supports with the patient and care team. Options include:
Making a clear written schedule.
Using alarms or another reminder.
Considering a pill organizer if appropriate, and filling it using an up-to-date medicine list.
Asking whether refill synchronization or delivery is available.
Choose strategies that fit the person’s needs and the medicine instructions.
Responding to a
advice depends on the specific medicine and its instructions. Check the label or patient information, or ask a pharmacist or prescriber rather than guessing.
Do not take an extra or double dose unless the medicine-specific instructions or a clinician directs you to. Do not assume that the same action is right for every medicine.
Discussing barriers without blame
When a patient says cost makes it difficult to obtain a refill, ask what is making access difficult and explore options together. The patient and care team can discuss affordable options or help with access and refills.
A nonjudgmental response focuses on understanding the practical barrier and problem-solving, rather than blaming the patient or advising them to take medicine only when they can afford it.
Checking the plan with
After explaining a medication schedule, ask the patient to describe in their own words how they will take the medicine. This approach checks how clearly the information was communicated and can reveal where more explanation is needed.
A general question such as “Do you understand?” does not check as directly whether the patient can describe the plan they will follow.