Patient Compliance and Patient Education

The term compliance is defined as the act of affirming, obeying, acquiescing, or yielding. The patient is passively abide by the advice and yield to the health care professional. It has a dictatorial connotation. The patient abides by the goals of the health professional. In contrast, the terms adherence and collaboration are used to describe implied that patients have more autonomy and independent in following their treatment planning. Adherence is based on patient-centered model; through research, it has shown to promote patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

In order to increase adherence, the health care provide needs to educate the patient. The patient needs to be informed about their condition, risks, benefits and treatment. Communication plays a major role in promoting adherence. If the information is conveyed clearly and completely enough the patient may be compelled to follow. Effective communication will help to foster trust and rapport. Poor communication skills and non-adherence are related. If the patients do not understand about their condition or treatment, then they do not enough knowledge to make decisions or follow recommendations. If the nurse shows lack of compassion and empathy, this will discourage patients from opening up and lead to non-adherence.

The root of adherence is effective education through communication. The health care provider needs assess the patient’s learning needs. Collaboration means the health care professional need to involve the patient in decision making and problem solving. He needs to involve the patient in the planning and goals setting. This has been proven to improve adherence and thus positive patient outcomes.

Previously, health care and education is based on paternalism, patients had insufficient access to information. Patients had limited partnership in decision making. Health care providers decided what information was to be given to the patients. The quantity

References: American Academy of Family Physicians. (2000). Patient education: Recommended core educational guidelines for family practice residents. American Family Physician, 62(7), 1712-1714. Amundson, L. (2000). Review of patient compliance: Magnitude and determinants. Continuing Education, September, 621-630. Falvo, D.R. (2004). Effective patient education: A guide to increased compliance (3rd Ed.). Boston: Jones & Bartlett.