Group kicks off effort to improve medication compliance

As most physicians know, patients often fail to take their medication on the schedule or in the quantity prescribed. Worse, some fail to take some medication at all, and may not let their doctor know. The result, particularly for patients with chronic conditions, is often more-frequent hospitalizations, or even death.

Now, a new initiative by the New England Healthcare Institute hopes to determine which strategies are most likely to control this problem. The Institute is forming work groups composed of key healthcare stakeholders, including payers, patients, providers, caregivers, health IT execs and employers, to examine strategies for combatting non-compliance with med regiments.

Strategies under consideration include patient education, dosing schedules, packaging and financial incentives to comply with physicians' recommendations.

Once the workgroups pick out strategies they see as effective, the Institute will create demonstration projects to test them. The pilots will begin later this year, and should produce results by late next year.

To learn more about this effort:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece (reg. req.)

Related Articles:
Drug mailing service tries to improve patient compliance to medications
Bill aims to cut hospital readmission rates