Improving Medication Adherence

Book excerpt: Written for physicians, nurses, physician assistants, case managers, and clinical pharmacists, this pioneering book is the first of its kind devoted to the delicate interface between clinical interviewing and medication adherence. Shawn Christopher Shea, MD takes the reader on a compelling and eminently practical exploration of how our words powerfully impact on whether or not patients are interested in taking medications and staying on them. Dr. Shea shares over forty specific interviewing techniques that are equally useful for medications for all disease states from hypertension, diabetes, and CHF to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The interviewing tips—brilliantly illustrated with their exact phrasings and all of their clinical nuances—were culled by Dr. Shea from the input of the thousands of front-line clinicians who have attended his popular workshops on "improving medication interest" given throughout the United States and Canada at over 200 locations. Improving Medication Adherence: How to Talk with Patients About Their Medications is a standout favorite with medical and nursing students in their "Introduction to Clinical Skills" courses because of its immediate practicality, eloquent yet disarmingly witty writing style, and remarkable brevity. It is equally appreciated by seasoned clinicians with years of experience who, as Dr. Shea writes, are keenly aware that "our science is always at its best, when it is held in the hands of compassion and enhanced by clinical skill."