How can compliance be improved in our patients?

Compliance is the degree to which a subject's behavior and the medical prescriptions and recommendations made are in agreement. It involves not only drug treatments, but also any other aspects of the patient's medical management such as consultations. All aspects of compliance can be related in a single patient. Strategies aiming to optimize patient compliance should respond to the patient's needs: being listened to, understood, assisted, and involved. One must Understand and accept each patient's particular characteristics, assisting the patient in asking questions, responding to these questions, and involving him or her in designing appropriate individualized therapy. Finally, (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.