Strategies for improving patient compliance.

Achieving patient compliance in taking prescribed medications is a formidable challenge for all clinicians. As PAs, we have daily opportunities to communicate with patients and improve their compliance. An office-based compliance program, combining patient education and behavior-modification components, can be beneficial in this regard. Strategies for improving compliance include giving clear, concise, and logical instructions in familiar language, adapting drug regimens to daily routines, eliciting patient participation through self-monitoring, and providing educational materials that promote overall good health in connection with medical treatment.