I found this great Infographic from Smart Health Messaging on non-adherence that I thought was well-worth sharing. It highlights the poor communication that often occurs between doctors and patients when it comes to prescribing new medications. Poor communication can affect medication adherence:

Doctor Patient Communication aids Medication Adherence

One of the facts that caught my eye was that doctors spend only 49 seconds during a visit telling the patient what they “need to know” about taking a new medication—that’s less than a minute! It’s no wonder that up to 50% of patients walk out of their doctor’s office not understanding what they are told to do. In fact, according to the Infographic, the biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred, as doctors tend to overestimate the amount of information they give to patients and underestimate how much information patients actually want.

With half of US adults taking at least one prescription medication and 60% of seniors ages 65+ taking five or more medications, proper medication management is critical. If you or your family members are ready to start a new medication, be proactive and open the lines of communication between you and your doctor. I find it helpful to bring a list of questions before seeing my doctor and take detailed notes to ensure I’m getting all the information I need to adhere to my medication regimen. Here are a few suggestions on questions to ask your doctor:

• What is this new medicine for and what is it supposed to do?
• How much should I take and how long will I have to take this medicine?
• When should I expect the medication to begin working?
• What are possible side effects?
• What should I do if I miss a dose?

Better communication will help increase medication adherence—or the likelihood that you’ll follow the recommended treatment program. How do you make sure you’re getting all the information you need from your doctor? What other questions do you recommend asking? I welcome your suggestions!

-Susan