Costly Consequences: Increasing Medication Adherence to Support Mental Health Stability.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Health Services Research
• Quality Improvement Science

Background:

• Medication non-adherence affects 49% of mental health patients, risking instability and poor outcomes.
• Non-adherence leads to disease aggravation, adverse events, and billions in annual US healthcare costs.
• Improving medication adherence is crucial for mental health stability and effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase medication adherence in adult outpatient mental health patients (ages 18-65).
• To evaluate the impact of shared decision-making (SDM) on medication adherence.
• To enhance patient empowerment and participation in mental health treatment.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a quality improvement project (QIP) in a Midwestern US outpatient mental health clinic.
• Utilized the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) to assess adherence levels.
• Introduced a shared decision-making (SDM) intervention involving patients and providers.

Main Results:

• The shared decision-making (SDM) intervention positively impacted Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) scores.
• Patients demonstrated increased empowerment and active participation in treatment decisions.
• SDM fostered shared responsibility among patients, providers, and healthcare systems.

Conclusions:

• Shared decision-making (SDM) is an effective strategy for improving medication adherence in mental health care.
• Empowering patients through SDM enhances their engagement and responsibility in treatment.
• This quality improvement project highlights the benefits of collaborative approaches in mental health services.