Patient preferences for medication adherence financial incentive structures: A discrete choice experiment

Area of Science:

• Health economics
• Behavioral science
• Patient adherence

Background:

• Medication adherence for chronic conditions presents a significant challenge for patients.
• Financial incentives, particularly when delivered at the point of care, may serve as effective cues to encourage medication-taking behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient preferences for specific structures of financial medication adherence incentives.
• To determine the feasibility of delivering these incentives at the point of care.

Main Methods:

• A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted via a national online survey.
• Participants included adults reporting use of prescription medications for chronic conditions.
• Data analysis involved mixed logit models, stratified by income level.

Main Results:

• Incentive form (e.g., gift card vs. cash) was the most crucial factor for participants, followed by probability of receipt, monetary value, and timing.
• Patients were willing to trade monetary value for earlier receipt, higher probability of receiving the incentive, and preferred gift cards over vouchers.
• These trade-offs were consistent across different income levels.

Conclusions:

• Patient preferences for financial medication adherence incentives are primarily driven by the form of the incentive and the probability of receiving it, irrespective of socioeconomic status.
• These findings have significant implications for designing sustainable and engaging medication adherence programs.
• Understanding these preferences can impact patient outcomes and healthcare plan performance.