On the other hand, studies have found high noncompliance among patients with good coverage, indicating that cost is not the only issue. Communication is another major factor. Many patients simply do not understand their prescribed course of treatment. When physicians fail to warn patients about potential problems, patients often use those complications as a reason to quit taking the medicine, he says. On the other hand, patients also use positive outcomes as a reason to discontinue their therapy, says Dr. Ferdman.
People still treat asthma as an episodic disease.
And they forget to do preventive tasks once they are feeling better. Of course, a perennial problem is patients who don't take their entire regimen of antibiotics. To reinforce a patient's long-term care plan, he discusses at least part of it at every patient visit. Dr. Ferdman says. Raising such issues in a nonthreatening manner is essential to getting a good response, he adds.