Developing a Computer Based Adherence Assessment Tool

Chen, Hank

Abstract

To help patients adhere to medication regimens, medical providers must have detailed information about their patients' adherence. This requires systemic and thorough question about patients' understanding of their medications, their medication adherence, and reasons for non-adherence, tasks that may require more time and attention than providers can offer. Computers are increasingly being used to augment patient history taking, reliving medical providers from time-consuming tasks, while providing them with valuable information about their patients. We propose to develop a computerized medication adherence assessment to gather information about patients' understanding of their medication regimen, adherence, and reasons for non-adherence. The assessment also will produce a report of patient adherence and reasons for non-adherence. In Phase I, we will develop a prototype focusing on HIV medications. Using a diverse sample of patients and providers, we will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the computerized assessment and compare the computerized assessment data with provider estimates of patient adherence. In Phase II, we will expand the database of medications and add an adherence enhancement component that will analyze patient non-adherence patterns and produce individualized provider and patient guidelines to help providers enhance patients adherence and to help patients enhance their own adherence.

Proposed Commercial Applications

The primary market for the proposed computerized medication adherence assessment will be medical providers who practice in outpatient primary care clinics. With the move towards managed care, primary care providers are being asked to perform more tasks in shorter amounts of time. A tool that would save them the time of conducting assessments while providing them with valuable information about their patients would have strong commercial potential.