The following is a summary of “Implementation of a Clinician-led Medication Adherence Intervention Among Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,” published in the September 2024 issue of Rheumatology by Sun et al.
Medication nonadherence in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can lead to poor health outcomes. A clinician-led intervention that reviews real-time pharmacy refill data was designed to improve adherence through effective communication.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study evaluating how clinicians applied the intervention and identified areas of improvement based on its initial positive results.
They analyzed audio recordings of clinician-patient encounters for adherence, discussions, communication quality, and time spent. Patients and clinicians were interviewed for feedback and suggestions. Medication adherence was assessed by comparing the 90-day proportion of days covered (PDC) before and after the intervention.
The results showed that 25 patient encounters with a median age of 39, 100% female, and 72% Black were included alongside 6 clinicians. Adherence discussions averaged 3.8 minutes, and 44% of patients saw a ≥ 20% increase in PDC. Most patients felt heard, were more honest, and motivated to take medications. Patients highlighted the need for improved communication and financial or logistical support, while some clinicians requested additional resources and training.
Investigators concluded that the adherence intervention is feasible, well-received, and consistently applied. Future efforts will focus on improving clinician training and testing the intervention’s effectiveness in a larger randomized trial.
Source: jrheum.org/content/51/9/884
