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A Simple Way to Foster Medication Adherence

Educating Patients on Medication Adherence

Medication non-compliance causes nearly 125,000 deaths in the United States and costs an estimated $290 billion annually. In fact, the number of patients who are non-compliant has reached epidemic proportions and is increasingly considered to be one of the most pressing issues in healthcare today. Research from the National Council for Patient Information and Education suggests that roughly 50% of patient prescriptions are taken incorrectly or not at all.

One survey found that a third of patients discharged, did not understand the purpose of their medications when they went home, and 86% of patients did not know their medications side effects. Consequently, there has been a breakdown between the communication of medication instructions and what patients are comprehending.

Patient adherence to a medication regimen is critical to good patient outcomes. Effective provider/patient communication is also critical to positive outcomes, patient satisfaction, health status, and adherence. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, educating patients before they leave the hospital can decrease readmissions, reduce unnecessary visits to the ER, and lower costs.

Although medication adherence is a complex issue, research suggests that simple interventions are the most effective in fostering medication adherence. The American College of Preventative Medicine recommends using the mnemonic SIMPLE, to help improve patient adherence.

  • S imple regimen
  • I mpart knowledge
  • M odify patient beliefs and human behavior
  • P rovide communication and trust
  • L eave the bias
  • E valuate adherence

S – Simple regimen. A complex treatment can affect patient compliance. Which is why providers should consider trying a simple regimen whenever possible. Medications taken once-a-day, or at the same time of day are usually preferred. However, the regimen should also coincide with the patient’s daily activities. Encourage the use of aids such as medication organizers and alarms.

I – Impart knowledge. Adherence is increased when patients are knowledgeable about their conditions and the benefits of treatment. A few best practices include:

  • Focus on shared decision-making.
  • Provide clear, written, and verbal instructions for all prescriptions.
  • Speak in common terms and try not to use medical jargon.
  • Include the use of written information or materials.
  • Include family and friends when appropriate.
  • Offer quality online references for patients that wish to seek health information from the web.

M – Modify patient beliefs and human behavior. Patient education alone is not enough to improve patient adherence. Engaging patients in an open dialogue about their expectations is also necessary.  Address any fears or concerns the patient may have about taking the medication. Empower patients to self-manage their condition and ensure they are clear about the risks of non-compliance.

P – Provide communication and trust. A physician’s communication style is one of the key factors to winning patients trust. Best practices for enhancing communication include:

  • Improve interviewing skills
  • Practice active listening skills
  • Provide emotional support
  • Provide clear, direct, and thorough information
  • Encourage the patient’s input in treatment decision-making
  • Allow time for patients to ask questions ‘
  • Build trust

L – Leave the bias. Physician interventions that increase patient/physician partnership are important strategies to overcome disparities. For example:

  • Encourage practice to learn more about low health literacy and how it affects patient outcomes
  • Review communication style to see if it is patient-centered
  • Understand the demographics of a patient population
  • Ensure patient communication and education is tailored to the patient’s level of understanding

E – Evaluating adherence. The problem of nonadherence is often underestimated. However, if it isn’t suspected, it cannot be corrected. Measuring adherence can lead to better patient compliance and can be implemented through self-reports and simply asking patients directly if they are following their drug regimen.

5 Areas of Focus for HCAHPS eBook

References :

[PODCAST] Causes and Solutions for the Nursing Shortage

Unless you live under a rock, you already know there is a serious nursing shortage in this country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics currently estimates a deficit of nearly one million nurses by the year 2022. Nursing shortages are not new, but this one is different from some of its predecessors. Previous shortages, like the one seen in 2001, were more about a lack of supply. In other words, fewer people were choosing to make nursing their career.

Listen to the podcast and see our related podcast to learn more:  Causes and Solutions for the Nursing Shortage5 Areas of Focus for HCAHPS eBook




[PODCAST] Introducing Tenured Staff to Value Based Care

How do more tenured nurses feel about value based care? It’s a question that challenges any person in a staffing and management position. The ideas of value based purchasing, raising HCAHPS scores, and patient satisfaction aren’t new for staff members in a hospital setting. For the nursing staff on the front lines, however; the concept is more complex. New nurses who join the team are adapting to many new concepts and processes, and these tactics and requirements for value based care are usually accepted as part of the job.

Listen to the podcast and see our related podcast to learn more:  Introducing Tenured Staff to Value Based Care5 Areas of Focus for HCAHPS eBook




Introducing Tenured Staff to Value Based Care

tenured staff and value based care

How do more tenured nurses feel about value based care? It’s a question that challenges any person in a staffing and management position. The ideas of value based purchasing, raising HCAHPS scores, and patient satisfaction aren’t new for staff members in a hospital setting. For the nursing staff on the front lines, however; the concept is more complex. New nurses who join the team are adapting to many new concepts and processes, and these tactics and requirements for value based care are usually accepted as part of the job.

The more tenured staff member, though, might be less adaptive. Veteran nurses tend to be skeptical and strive to find a reason for the change beyond just appeasing administration. They want to ensure positive outcomes, so they know they are not just wasting their time on a new process. Put simply, they need to know it is good for their patients. So, what can the administration do to get this important sector of the nursing staff on board with value-based care?

Current Value Based Care Tactics That Help

For starters, there are widely accepted patient care tactics that already support value-based care initiatives:

All three of these tactics work to improve patient safety, enhance communication and reduce errors. At the same time, they lower anxiety levels and improve patient and family satisfaction. Whether new or tenured, nursing staff members should have no problems using these tactics to bolster quality patient care and the patient experience.

Using Communication Boards

 

A relatively newer approach worth considering is the use of communication boards. These boards are not new, but they have a tendency to be underutilized. They can easily be ignored unless nursing management and administration are intentional about ensuring their correct use. If you are sensing push-back or apathy from staff members on utilizing communication boards, the best approach is education. Training should be reviewed on why they are used, but more importantly, it must be explained how it can change a patient’s outcome. Put simply, it reduces stress levels for both the patient and family members while improving communication between nursing staff going in and out of the room. Communication boards list everything from the patient’s room, to their schedule, to their medications, to names of their care team. Reiterate to your staff members that consistently using the communication boards will not only improve care team communication, but it will set expectations and calm anxieties for their patients.

Courtesy and Respect

Just the mention of this topic is likely to get eyes rolling, especially among more tenured nurses. Courtesy and respect are concepts often confused with the idea of “being nice”, but there is a big difference.

When patients enter a hospital, they lose all power. They can easily feel that they are unable to make decisions for themselves and are stuck somewhere they really don’t want to be. Treating them with courtesy and respect isn’t about being “nice” – it’s about letting them know that they still matter. Courtesy and respect then translate into making patients a part of their own care team. Once you bring them on board, they feel more comfortable to:

  • Ask questions that they might not have otherwise
  • Offer information they may have kept silent before

You give them back some of their power by making them part of the team.

To some staff members, value based care can feel like extra work or something that is just meant to check a box for administration—and from this perspective, it’s an understandable attitude. It is up to administrators and nursing managers to demonstrate to staff members how these initiatives will not only improve the patient experience but how these same tactics can improve overall care and patient outcomes.

5 Areas of Focus for HCAHPS eBook

[PODCAST] 5 Steps to Achieve Buy-in to Your Hospital’s Nursing Culture

Proper onboarding of new nurses is key to retention, job satisfaction, and engagement in complete patient care. Nurses who are comfortable in their environment, and feel supported by management, will become a critical part of the care team.

Listen to the podcast and see our related podcast to learn more:  5 Steps to Achieve Buy-in to Your Hospital’s Nursing Culture

5 Areas of Focus for HCAHPS eBook




5 Steps to Achieve Buy-in to Your Hospital’s Nursing Culture

Proper onboarding of new nurses is key to retention, job satisfaction, and engagement in complete patient care. Nurses who are comfortable in their environment, and feel supported by management, will become a critical part of the care team. These nurses have “bought in” to your hospital’s nursing culture and mission, and they feel empowered to provide the best possible healthcare to their patients. Excellent nursing care leads to improved patient outcomes, increased patient satisfaction, and higher HCAHPS scores. Solid nurse onboarding will engage new staff members — aligning them with your mission and vision in order to achieve your patient care and satisfaction goals.

nursing culture

Achieving Buy-in to Workplace Nursing Culture: 5 Steps

An analysis of a recent (2015) Press Ganey nursing survey, which received input from more than 200,000 nursing professionals, reveals five crucial elements that you must develop to spur nurse engagement:

  1. Patient-Focused Mission
    Nurses want to do meaningful work—it’s why they went into nursing. They want to help their patients, provide the best care possible, and they want to feel supported while they do it. As an administrator, you can do nothing more important for your staff or your patients than to create a patient-centered mission and vision for your entire organization. And while one of your goals may be to improve HCAHPS scores, it CANNOT be your main focus. The mission and overarching goals of your hospital must be focused on patient care, and empowering your staff to deliver that care — nurse engagement, quality care, patient satisfaction, and improved HCAHPS scores will all develop from there.
  2. Respect and Appreciation in the Workplace
    Nursing is a difficult job, and it is only made harder without a nursing culture of respect throughout the hospital. Mutual respect and teamwork are essential for great patient care. Nurses who feel that they are valued by their administration, and by their fellow staff members, are motivated to perform at the highest level. Make sure your organization finds opportunities to appreciate the staff and promote respect. Host events that thank staff members for their efforts and accomplishments. Offer meaningful recognition programs that notice and appreciate the nursing staff’s dedication to “go the extra mile”. Survey your staff to gauge their satisfaction and take action in areas where you have opportunities to improve. Working in an environment of mutual respect and demonstrated appreciation on a daily basis fuels positive patient outcomes and increases patient satisfaction.
  3. Supportive and Comfortable Work Environment
    A comfortable, clean, and updated physical workspace helps encourage and enable the nursing staff. A haphazard, disorganized and unkempt workplace leads to overstressed staff – and naturally, this can translate to the kind of care they provide. Paying attention to creating a positive mental workspace is also key. Nurses who anticipate respectful, supportive colleague and hospital management relationships will be excited to join your organization. The more obviously you model these traits, as well as provide training and counseling to achieve them, the happier and more engaged your nursing staff will be. Clearly articulate that management’s role is to take care of and support the nursing staff, so the nurse can concentrate on caring for the patient.
  4. Fair Pay
    Although not at the top of the requirement list for successful nursing, a fair pay structure is foundational to new nurse buy-in, and for nurse retention over time. Competitive pay demonstrates support and respect for the nursing staff, and it serves as a foundation upon which you can build your reputation and nursing culture.
  5. Attractive Career Paths and Development Opportunities
    One way to show that you appreciate and respect your nursing staff is to provide them with opportunities. Overwhelmingly, nurses want to use all their hard-won skills to the fullest, and they seek to develop new ones. Nurses want to advance in their careers and to have a greater impact on the patients they serve. Truly motivated and engaged nurses are not seeking dead-end jobs – they want to feel that becoming part of your organization includes future opportunities. They want to refine their abilities to an expert level, gain new skills and assume new responsibilities over time. Don’t just tell your nurses you support them, but show it in practice with financial support and opportunities to progress up the career ladder and to attain advanced certifications.

Melding the Five Elements for Nurse Buy-in

These five tips for achieving cultural buy-in are strongly interrelated, so even focusing on one of them will help advance your progress with the others. When a new nurse is considering joining your organization, whether a Millennial who is new to the profession–or an experienced nurse further along on the career path, articulate your patient-centered mission clearly. Tell them who you are and let them know the strength of the organization they are joining. Show them how you will provide the support they need so that they can deliver the best care possible.

5 Areas of Focus for HCAHPS eBook

[PODCAST] How Today’s Patients See Care Teams

Today’s patients see care teams differently than they once did. In the past, patients played more of a child-like role to their physicians and nurses. However, in today’s more patient-centered market, there has been a shift to patients wanting more information and control over their own care—they want to be a member of their own care team.

Listen to the podcast and see our related podcast to learn more: How Today’s Patients See Care Teams

5 Areas of Focus for HCAHPS eBook