Adherence to Treatment Plans
Adherence to a treatment plan can be a challenge for any patient, no matter what her/his culture. When the practitioner and patient come from different cultures and speak different languages, the challenges to effective communication and to the patient's ability to adhere to treatment are greatly increased.
Perhaps the most important thing a provider can do to ensure that a patient adheres to recommended treatment is to create an atmosphere of open communication. The patient needs to trust that the provider is acting in his/her best interests. The patient needs to understand the purpose of the treatment and to be confident that the provider has used good judgment in recommending the treatment. What many providers overlook is that the patient needs to be able to tell the provider when he/she does not understand something about the recommended treatment—and most importantly when the treatment conflicts with the patient's beliefs or lifestyle.
It is important for the provider to remember that patient adherence is the joint responsibility of the provider and patient. An effective provider will seek ways to help the patient adhere to the treatment plan and will attempt to identify and resolve obstacles to adherence. Asking questions about these potential obstacles may help the provider and patient design a treatment plan that the patient understands and can follow.
Questions to Promote Adherence
- Do you have any questions about what I have explained?
- How do you understand what I am recommending?
- Is there anything that would make it difficult to follow my recommendations?
- Is there anything that you think should be changed?
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