Coordinator research program Communication in Healthcare; endowed professor 'Communication in healthcare, especially in primary care', Radboud University, the Netherlands
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Furthering patient adherence: a position paper of the international expert forum on patient adherence based on an internet forum discussion.
Dulmen, S. van, Sluijs, E., Dijk, L. van, Ridder, D. de, Heerdink, R., Bensing, J. Furthering patient adherence: a position paper of the international expert forum on patient adherence based on an internet forum discussion. BMC Health Services Research: 2008, 8(47)
BACKGROUND: As the problem of patient non-adherence to treatment becomes ever greater and a solution appears hard to find, new ways have to be sought to tackle the issue. Given the weak theoretical underpinning of how to research the adherence problem, a fruitful step might be to find the most promising theoretical mainstreams. We recently conducted a meta-review of adherence interventions studies which yielded a preliminary agenda for future research, practice and theory development in patient adherence. The objective of the present project was to find out to what extent this agenda is considered relevant and feasible in the eyes of adherence experts. METHODS: The thirty five corresponding authors of the review studies included in the meta-review were invited to join the International Expert Forum on Patient Adherence and to participate in a four-week web-based focus group discussion. The discussion was triggered by the preliminary agenda. RESULTS: Twenty adherence experts participated. Various ideas and viewpoints were raised. After the closure of the web-site, the expert forum was asked to authorize the synthesis of the discussion, to list the propositions in order of priority and to answer a few questions on the use of the web-based focus group as a tool to obtain expert opinions. Their ranking showed that the development of simple interventions is the most promising step to take in fostering patient adherence, preferably within a multidisciplinary setting of medical, pharmaceutical, social and technical science and, not in the least, by incorporating patients' perspectives. CONCLUSION: For enhancing adherence, the (multidisciplinary) development of simple interventions using patients' input appears most promising. Disclosing patients' perspectives requires open communication about patients' expectations, needs and experiences in taking medication and about what might help them to become and remain adherent. (aut. ref.)
BACKGROUND: As the problem of patient non-adherence to treatment becomes ever greater and a solution appears hard to find, new ways have to be sought to tackle the issue. Given the weak theoretical underpinning of how to research the adherence problem, a fruitful step might be to find the most promising theoretical mainstreams. We recently conducted a meta-review of adherence interventions studies which yielded a preliminary agenda for future research, practice and theory development in patient adherence. The objective of the present project was to find out to what extent this agenda is considered relevant and feasible in the eyes of adherence experts. METHODS: The thirty five corresponding authors of the review studies included in the meta-review were invited to join the International Expert Forum on Patient Adherence and to participate in a four-week web-based focus group discussion. The discussion was triggered by the preliminary agenda. RESULTS: Twenty adherence experts participated. Various ideas and viewpoints were raised. After the closure of the web-site, the expert forum was asked to authorize the synthesis of the discussion, to list the propositions in order of priority and to answer a few questions on the use of the web-based focus group as a tool to obtain expert opinions. Their ranking showed that the development of simple interventions is the most promising step to take in fostering patient adherence, preferably within a multidisciplinary setting of medical, pharmaceutical, social and technical science and, not in the least, by incorporating patients' perspectives. CONCLUSION: For enhancing adherence, the (multidisciplinary) development of simple interventions using patients' input appears most promising. Disclosing patients' perspectives requires open communication about patients' expectations, needs and experiences in taking medication and about what might help them to become and remain adherent. (aut. ref.)
