I’ve been fortunate not to require many medications in my life. Some recent dental surgery required me to take a week of antibiotics (amoxicillin three times per day for seven days). At the end of a week, I counted four pills that I missed. So I was about 80% compliant or adherent if you take 17 divided by 21 doses. In the healthcare world, those terms “compliant”, “adherent”, “compliance”, or “adherence” are the words we use to describe whether you are being a “good patient” or not. Most studies find patients take around 60% of their medications. My seven day prescription was a good reminder of the struggle my patients face with their many medications. Was I a “good” patient? In heart disease, one year-long study found a greater risk of death when adherence dropped below 75%. So really “good” or “bad” patient isn’t the question. As health providers and patients, we need to talk about barriers to taking those medications so we can improve outcomes…. not “good”, or “bad”, but how to be better.
Today I have a chance to talk to Mending Hearts group in San Diego. I always get adherence into the talk somehow!