How to Manage Non-Adherent Patients
Patients who are non-adherent (formerly referred to as “difficult” or “non-compliant”) with their physician’s recommendations or medical advice risk injury to themselves and pose a liability threat for their physician. Non-adherent patients typically are those who do not follow post-treatment instructions; don’t keep appointments; don’t report information about worsening symptoms; fail to follow through on referrals to a specialist; don’t get recommended diagnostic tests; or don’t take their medications properly. Reasons for non-adherence Non-adherence is not always a deliberate act. Among the reasons some patients may not follow the doctor’s advice: They didn’t understand instructions; They forgot the doctor’s oral...
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