A prototype method for selecting interventions for enhancing medication adherence in medicine taking processes

This paper presents a prototype method that can support the selection of interventions for enhancing medication adherence in medicine taking processes. The intended users are qualified practitioners, such as physicians and pharmacists, who prescribe oral medicine to patients. We performed an experimentation involving 54 university students and nine interventional tools, and multiobjective evaluation regarding the effectiveness and effort required. Using the results from this focused group, the prototype method was developed in a form of guidance. The target patients are those with the ability to self-administer medications like the participants. The method first classifies the patients according to the attitude towards medication adherence and the type of predictor for nonadherence, and then helps to choose an appropriate intervention for the patient. The developed prototype serves as a first systematic guidance for supporting such decision-makings in the clinical practice. The study motivates the application of process systems approaches to the use phase of drugs.