Improving Medication Adherence in Psychiatric Patients With a Medication Adherence Program

Background: It's estimated that over 50% of patients prescribed antipsychotic medication are nonadherent to the prescribed treatment. Medication nonadherence impedes the patient's safety, leads to relapse, and the need for rehospitalization. Thus bolstering the importance of routine nursing follow-up interventions to improve adherence rates in patient with SMI.Aims: The purpose of this research is to address the significant impact that medication nonadherence has on patients with serious mental illness (SMI) and the positive impact that telephonic medication adherence programs have on improving patient outcomes through enhanced medication adherence.Methods: The literature was examined from the past 5 years (2016-2021) on the use of telephonic follow-up interventions to improve medication adherence in patients with psychiatric disorders and other chronic diseases at risk for mental illness. Databases (PubMed, CINAHL, ProQuest, and the Cochrane Library) were used. The inclusion criteria focused on psychiatric disorders, telephone calls to improve medication adherence, and the use of questionnaires to determine adherence.Results: The implementation of telephonic follow-up after discharge has proven to be an effective strategy to promote medication adherence in patients with mental illness and to provide additional support (emotional, side effect management, appointment reminders, and activity involvement) to improve the patient's well-being.Conclusions: Telephonic follow-up is an effective strategy to improve medication adherence in patients with SMI and other chronic diseases as a short-term intervention (less than 24 months). Further research is needed on the benefits of telephonic follow-up as a long-term intervention (beyond 24 months).