Source: New England Journal of Medicine

“Poor adherence to treatment regimens has long been recognized as a substantial roadblock to achieving better outcomes for patients. Data show that as many as half of all patients do not adhere faithfully to their prescription-medication regimens — and the result is more than $100 billion spent each year on avoidable hospitalizations.¹ Non adherence to medication regimens also affects the quality and length of life; for example, it has been estimated that better adherence to anti-hypertensive treatment alone could prevent 89,000 premature deaths in the United States annually.²”

Read the complete study from the New England Journal of Medicine.  Thinking Outside the Pillbox – Medication Adherence as a Priority for Health Care Reform.

For more information on medication adherence specific to case managers view the Case Management Adherence Guidelines from the Case Management Society of America (CMSA).