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Last week, results were published from an impressive randomized controlled clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of telephone call counseling to improve osteoporosis medication adherence (Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:477-83 doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.1977). In this study, participants were recruited from a pharmacy benefits program and randomized to telephone-based counseling (n = 1,046) or to a control group (n = 1,041). The telephone-counseling group used motivational interviewing techniques (“roll with resistance” & “support self-efficacy”) and the control group received mailed educational materials.
Median medication adherence was 49% in the telephone group and 41% in the control group (p-value = non significant). In a subgroup analysis, the intervention appeared to be more effective for subjects aged 65 to 74 years compared with those ≥ 75 years (P = 0.45).
Other data would suggest that simplification of drug regimens, patient education and information, reminders by mail, and group sessions may enhance medication adherence. In our practices, widespread use of telephone-based medication adherence programs is limited by resource constraints. But there are ways to piggyback such efforts onto existing telephone-based programs, such as appointment reminder systems. Our challenge will be to determine which medications we want to target.
Last week, results were published from an impressive randomized controlled clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of telephone call counseling to improve osteoporosis medication adherence (Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:477-83 doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.1977). In this study, participants were recruited from a pharmacy benefits program and randomized to telephone-based counseling (n = 1,046) or to a control group (n = 1,041). The telephone-counseling group used motivational interviewing techniques (“roll with resistance” & “support self-efficacy”) and the control group received mailed educational materials.
Median medication adherence was 49% in the telephone group and 41% in the control group (p-value = non significant). In a subgroup analysis, the intervention appeared to be more effective for subjects aged 65 to 74 years compared with those ≥ 75 years (P = 0.45).
Other data would suggest that simplification of drug regimens, patient education and information, reminders by mail, and group sessions may enhance medication adherence. In our practices, widespread use of telephone-based medication adherence programs is limited by resource constraints. But there are ways to piggyback such efforts onto existing telephone-based programs, such as appointment reminder systems. Our challenge will be to determine which medications we want to target.
Last week, results were published from an impressive randomized controlled clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of telephone call counseling to improve osteoporosis medication adherence (Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:477-83 doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.1977). In this study, participants were recruited from a pharmacy benefits program and randomized to telephone-based counseling (n = 1,046) or to a control group (n = 1,041). The telephone-counseling group used motivational interviewing techniques (“roll with resistance” & “support self-efficacy”) and the control group received mailed educational materials.
Median medication adherence was 49% in the telephone group and 41% in the control group (p-value = non significant). In a subgroup analysis, the intervention appeared to be more effective for subjects aged 65 to 74 years compared with those ≥ 75 years (P = 0.45).
Other data would suggest that simplification of drug regimens, patient education and information, reminders by mail, and group sessions may enhance medication adherence. In our practices, widespread use of telephone-based medication adherence programs is limited by resource constraints. But there are ways to piggyback such efforts onto existing telephone-based programs, such as appointment reminder systems. Our challenge will be to determine which medications we want to target.