Guideline, Inc. today issued findings from its report 2008 Patient Adherence Update: New Approaches To Success. The report, co-sponsored by MedAd News, notes that Americans continue to struggle with adhering to recommendations from their healthcare providers regarding medications they take. Factors such as age, gender and the amount of medications taken all significantly impact adherence, along with a patient’s economic status, ability to pay for medications and patient knowledge on health issues. All these factors have been noted as having a significant effect on how well patients adhere to their healthcare providers’ recommendations, and point to a greater need for collaboration between physicians, pharmaceutical companies and patients to develop programs to help stem the tide. The World Health Organization has also identified non-adherence to healthcare and physician recommendations regarding medications as an issue that needs to be addressed on a broader socio-economic scale. Of note in the detailed report are the following findings:
- 6 out of 10 Americans are deemed non-adherent
- 10% of all hospitalizations in the US are attributable to lack of adherence
- Direct costs for non-adherence estimated to be more than $100 billion per year
- 1 out of 3 physicians average medication discussions last under two minutes
- More medications taken by a patient the more likely to be non-adherent
“Lack of adherence to healthcare providers’ recommendations when taking medications is a major issue that needs to be addressed by all stakeholders. Understanding all the dimensions of consumer and physician behavior is key,” stated Morris S. Whitcup, Ph.D. Guideline, Inc’s Chief Research Officer.
As noted, non-adherence not only affects the individuals, but it also affects the physicians and pharmaceutical companies in terms of treatments, programs and well as cost/revenue. To address this, physicians and pharmaceutical companies are developing new approaches and processes to help increase patient adherence. Initiatives such as discount programs for those individuals that renew on time and increased counseling times by physicians are emerging trends in combating non-adherence.
For a complimentary copy of the report, please email: trendreports@guideline.com or Christina Hungspruke, Director of Corporate Marketing, Guideline: chungspruke@guideline.com
About Guideline
Founded in 1969, Guideline Inc., an infoGROUP company, is the nation’s premier provider of customized research and analysis designed to help companies make more informed decisions about critical business issues. Through its proven research methodologies and breadth of industry knowledge, Guideline’s experience enables companies to better understand their products, markets, technologies and customers to mitigate risk and accelerate growth. Specifically, the company has been integral with providing many healthcare and pharmaceutical companies with detailed studies on consumer and physician behavior, socio-economic/marketplace studies, and packaging/labeling to help develop adherence programs and policies. The company’s suite of research capabilities includes Custom Market Research, Strategic Intelligence, On-Demand Research, and Intota- Guideline’s Expert Network. To learn more, visit www.guideline.com
About infoGROUP
infoGROUP (www.infoGROUP.com) (NASDAQ: IUSA), founded in 1972, is the leading provider of business and consumer databases for sales leads & mailing lists, database marketing services, data processing services and sales and marketing solutions. Content is the essential ingredient in every marketing program, and infoGROUP has the most comprehensive data in the industry, and is the only company to own 12 proprietary databases under one roof. The infoGROUP database powers the directory services of the top Internet traffic-generating sites. Nearly 4 million customers use infoGROUP products and services to find new customers, grow their sales, and for other direct marketing, telemarketing, customer analysis and credit reference purposes. infoGROUP headquarters are located at 5711 S. 86th Circle, Omaha, NE 68127 and can be contacted at (402) 593-4500. To know more about Sales Leads, click www.infoGROUP.com.
Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, recent changes in senior management, the successful integration of recent and future acquisitions, fluctuations in operating results, failure to successfully carry out our Internet strategy or to grow our Internet revenue, effects of leverage, changes in technology and increased competition. More information about potential factors that could affect the company's business and financial results is included in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts:
Christina Hungspruke, 212-463-6312
E-Mail:
chungspruke@guideline.com
or
infoGROUP
Lisa
Olson, 402-593-4541
Senior Vice President, Corporate
Relations
E-Mail: lisa.olson@infogroup.com
