A new age intervention to support medication adherence

Adherence to pharmacological treatments is a complex behaviour which is influenced by a number of factors throughout a person's medication use journey. No single intervention has yet been shown to effectively address non-adherence long term. Technology, which can support a multifaceted intervention targeted to the needs of a person, may present a feasible solution to optimise adherence. Technological interventions such as mobile applications (apps) have shown early promise, increasing medication adherence rates and providing health care practitioners with an opportunity to monitor and measure adherence. Some of their features include providing informational messages, saving prescription details and sending refill reminders. Their inability to address patient specific factors across the three phases of adherence (initiation, implementation and discontinuation) limit their usefulness in clinical practice. We propose recommendations to guide the design of digital interventions that can support adherence. Interventions should be individualised to address patient specific factors that affect adherence to medications; the features should support individuals across all three phases of adherence. Interventions must integrate within existing prescriber and dispensing software and interconnect all members of an individual's healthcare team. Finally, to ensure optimal outcomes for the individual, all digital interventions should inform the person about why adherence is necessary.