Association of Pediatric Hematology / Oncology Nurses Board Members
The Give and Take of Prescription Medication: Is Adherence Even Possible?
Debra Cohen, MSN RN RNC PNP-BC
Virginia Commonwealth University, The Children's Hospital of Richmond
Date: November 13, 2012 Time: 1pm Central Time
Description
The number of patients who are not adherent to their prescription medication regimens may be as high as 80%. Even people with serious conditions or life threatening illnesses don’t take their medication. Parents don’t always give their children prescribed medications. Many clinicians believe that children and adolescents with life threatening illnesses get all their medications. Even they do not. There are hundreds of research studies, scores of meta analyses and numerous Cochran reviews of strategies to improve medication adherence. Clinicians have long used reminders, nagging, bribing and instilling fear. Some understate side effects or overstate benefits. Effective interventions for compliance with long-term care are complicated, resource intensive and include combinations of support and psychological counseling, information, reinforcement and convenience. It is imperative to achieve a common interpretation of the problem and treatment (concordance), identify and address barriers to success, and ensure open communication throughout the treatment period.
Objectives:
Define compliance, adherence and concordance and relate them to the challenges of caring for pediatric hematology/oncology (H/O) patients
Review the current scientific evidence related to lack of patient compliance adherence and concordance.
Describe the potential impact of non- adherence on clinical outcomes, clinical trials and health care economics.
Discuss interventions proven or suggested to improve adherence and consider if they are applicable to pediatric or young adults patients with hematologic/oncologic illnesses. Are they practical?
Discuss how we can create an environment of care that supports patient adherence and concordance.
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