The role of the psychiatrist in improving patient compliance

Compliance, usually referring to how well the patient takes the medication as prescribed, is an important issue in clinical practice. However, many patients, especially those with a psychiatric illness, stop taking their medications despite physician advice to continue. This cessation can lead to a deterioration in the condition, a relapse, or a recurrence of the illness. In the literature, many different factors contributing to poor compliance have been described, but the doctor's role and responsibilities are hardly mentioned. These factors will be discussed here with special emphasis on what a doctor should do and what a doctor should avoid.