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Did you know?... Medication adherence improves when prescribers write for 90-day supplies

September 8, 2017

The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) found that for every 100 prescriptions written, 50 – 70 are filled by the pharmacy, 48 – 66 are picked up, 25 – 30 are taken properly, and 15 – 20 are refilled.1

It is widely accepted that patients who are not compliant with their medication regimens have poorer outcomes and increased health care costs. A wide range of factors affecting patient behavior creates challenges in finding ways to improve overall medication adherence.

ACPM suggests that physicians can help improve adherence through the following actions:

  • Switch to 90-day supplies. Patients who are on a 90-day supply have been shown to be more adherent than patients on a 30-day supply.2 Talk to your patients about their willingness to switch to a longer supply, which may both reduce the disturbance of going to the pharmacy and increase the potential for improved adherence.
  • Effective communication. Studies show that effective communication between patients and physicians enables higher medication adherence rates. This is attributed to trust in the physician, understanding the medication?s benefits, and participatory decision-making. Follow these tips:
    • – Use the SIMPLE mnemonic to remember adherence-promoting interventions. Learn more about SIMPLE here.
    • – As prescribers, you have first-hand knowledge of non-adherence predictors such as low health literacy, history of mental health issues, beliefs that medications are harmful, or concerns about side effects or cost of treatment. Consider referring your Independence patients to a Health Coach, who can assist members with some of these barriers. To do so, fill out an online referral form or call 1-800-313-8628.

Effective two-way communication can double the odds of your patients taking their medications properly, improving their health, and reducing visits to the emergency room. For more information, please review ACMP?s Medication Adherence Clinical Reference.

1Excerpted with permission from the American College of Preventive Medicine. ?Medication Adherence – Improving Health Outcomes? A Resource from the American College of Preventive Medicine. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.acpm.org/?MedAdhereTTProviders.

2?Adherence Improves With 90-Day Medication Supply.? April 7, 2010. Physicians Practice. Available at: http://www.physicianspractice.com/articles/adherence-improves-90 -day-medication-supply.


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