TIPHealth® is dedicated to Improving Treatment and Medication Adherence in America

A PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIC

A PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIC

Marilyn Standifer Shreve is a pioneer in using digital, mobile and interactive technologies as powerful tools to engage patients to take a proactive role in managing their treatment regimens and medication therapies… resulting in lowering the growth of health care costs and improving patient health outcomes.

Americans are dying in record numbers from heart disease, the complications of diabetes, cancer and a long list of other chronic conditions. Studies indicate that 50% of the patients with chronic conditions will stop taking their medications within the first six months of starting a treatment regimen (non-adherence)… and, that many of these conditions are lifestyle-induced and can be managed effectively by medication therapy. A deliberative approach that places treatment and medication Adherence at the center of health care reform is required. According to World Health Organization research findings, effective interventions that target medication Adherence require a “tailored approach taking into consideration each patient’s unique values, beliefs and self-efficacy.” Just as technology has changed how consumers buy airline tickets and complete stock market transactions, interactive technology can support and engage patients to take an active role in managing their treatment regimens; improving their medication-taking behavior and adopting healthy lifestyles.  Effective technology-assisted Adherence solutions and tailored messaging can integrate the following proven behavioral science principles: remind people who they want to be; foster an alliance; acknowledge barriers; apply social influence; show people what they could experience as a result of poor self-care; link short term efforts with long-term gains; explain why; put the message where the action is; provide a plan; start with small requests; personalize; disentangle emotions; be clear; keep guidelines simple; think big; present the health choice as the desirable choice; give feedback; and,  point to tomorrow as a new day. We are all paying the price for this epidemic of non-adherence to treatment regimens and medication therapy. It’s time to seize the Adherence challenge and improve patient health outcomes!

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply.

Willing is not enough; we must do.”   Goethe

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