Patients come to medical clinics to get treatment for their ailments. A cure is their ultimate target for getting the treatment. If a cure is not possible, they expect at least a relief from the pain or suffering they are experiencing. The interaction between the patients and the medical personnel is in reality entering into a partnership. The medical staff will perform their medical care tasks to the best of their ability for the benefit of the patients. The patients will have to follow the instructions given to them fully so that expected results are obtained. If instructions are not followed strictly, the result of the treatment may not be as expected however skillful the medical staff might be, patients need to comply with the instructions fully.
Patients’ compliance to treatment instructions has a very important. Compliance or non-compliance indeed make a difference between treatment success or failure. There are many reports on this topic on the internet. However, the use of the term “compliance” has been debated by some persons and a different term has been proposed for it – “adherence”. Compliance, they say, is simply passively following instructions given by treating medical personnel, mostly doctors even though nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, and others may also be giving instructions. Adherence on the other hand they say is an active choice made by the patients, taking responsibility for their own well-being and decided to follow the instructions accepting that it will be beneficial for them. Compliance being passive and adherence active. However, it is debatable as to whether patients will decide to follow instructions and comply with them if they think it will not be beneficial for them. They will decide to comply with the instructions only if they believe it will be good for them. The decision rest with the patient and patient’s family and it is quite difficult to say compliance is passive.
Whether ‘compliance’ or ‘adherence’ is used, the important thing is for the doctor to communicate effectively and for the patient to follow instructions. Instances of non-compliance or non-adherence may be due to some factors like inability to afford the medication, not understanding the importance of taking drugs regularly, fear of side effects (drug information being readily available on the internet and persons with some education may look at it and develop a misunderstanding) to name a few. To prevent non-compliance or non-adherence the doctor or medical personnel should explain clearly what needs to be followed and why, be open/honest with them and deal with them with respect so as to develop a trusting relationship. The treating doctor or allied medical personnel should receive and develop communication skills so that they be able to develop a trusting relationship with patients. Treatment decisions should also be made by the patient and attending physician/medical personnel together and to do this the treatment plan need to be explained to the patient so that they understand it clearly and can make an informed decision. Among all of these requirements. “Trust” is a golden virtue that may go a long way in reducing non-compliance or non-adherence among the patients which will decide success or failure of the treatment.
