Evaluating Medication Adherence: Which Measure Is Right for Your Program?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:, Medication-adherence programs are increasingly important to managed care organizations. This review discusses the strengths and limitations of medication-adherence measurement techniques, including biological markers, pill counts, electronic monitoring devices, patient surveys, and prescription claims data. Specific tools for measuring medication adherence using prescription claims data are defined and demonstrated. The process of selecting an appropriate tool is discussed.