Adherence Team Members

Despite the above potential barriers, many individuals on the treatment team can help patients adhere to their treatment. The following is a summary of some of the team members who can play a key role in adherence.

• The psychiatrist involved in assessing the patient’s clinical background and social situation may impact adherence. While psychiatrists can sometimes monitor adherence by measuring blood levels of the medication as with the antipsychotic clozapine (Clozaril®; Novartis) this is not common due to the expense, inconvenience to patients, and the fact that such tests do not always accurately indicate compliance history.
• The pharmacist can monitor the interval between prescription refills to gauge whether the patient is overdue and thus possibly skipping doses.
• PCPs who are involved in a patient’s long-term care may help monitor the patient’s medications for mental illness and support consistency of treatment.
• Family members or close friends of the patient can help support compliance through encouragement and monitoring. Thus, they should be included in treatment discussions and receive educational materials that may aid in adherence.
• Other team members can play an important role in patient compliance by providing the patient with information about the medication and its potential side effects and reminding the patient of the importance of adherence.