About this Research Topic
Despite the availability of many effective drugs, it has been estimated that medication non-adherence is associated with almost 200,000 deaths and €80-125 billion of potentially preventable direct (e.g. hospitalizations, waste of medication) and indirect (e.g. work productivity losses) costs in the European Union (EU) alone. Unfortunately, medication non-adherence affects, depending on definitions used, up to 20-50% of patients that use chronic medication. Recently developed technological advances (e.g. smart pill-boxes/packaging, digital inhalers, audio and vibration-based tracking devices, pill-tracers and e-injection pens, e-Health self-management applications, big data) can greatly support healthcare professionals and empower patients in detecting and managing non-adherence.
Currently the application of innovative digital technologies to enhance medication adherence is still mainly limited to clinical trial settings, thereby not reaching the healthcare professionals and patients in real-life practice. In addition, awareness of healthcare professionals and evidence on the effectiveness, availability and implementation of adherence enhancing technology is limited, the technology is usually not embedded in a broader understanding of the reasons for sub-optimal adherence and there is a lack of collaboration between key stakeholders to jointly work towards shared implementation goals. More evidence on the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and implementation pathways of these technologies is therefore required.
We welcome contributions that encompass these following sub-themes:
• Effectiveness of electronic and digital medication adherence monitoring and support tools and strategies;
• Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of electronic medication adherence monitoring and support tools and strategies
• Reviews on electronic medication adherence monitoring and support tools and strategies;
• Perspectives on stakeholder views, regulations and reimbursement of medical technology to monitor and enhance medication adherence.
Please note the abstract submission is not compulsory, however abstracts will also be welcomed beyond the deadline.
Currently the application of innovative digital technologies to enhance medication adherence is still mainly limited to clinical trial settings, thereby not reaching the healthcare professionals and patients in real-life practice. In addition, awareness of healthcare professionals and evidence on the effectiveness, availability and implementation of adherence enhancing technology is limited, the technology is usually not embedded in a broader understanding of the reasons for sub-optimal adherence and there is a lack of collaboration between key stakeholders to jointly work towards shared implementation goals. More evidence on the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and implementation pathways of these technologies is therefore required.
We welcome contributions that encompass these following sub-themes:
• Effectiveness of electronic and digital medication adherence monitoring and support tools and strategies;
• Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of electronic medication adherence monitoring and support tools and strategies
• Reviews on electronic medication adherence monitoring and support tools and strategies;
• Perspectives on stakeholder views, regulations and reimbursement of medical technology to monitor and enhance medication adherence.
Please note the abstract submission is not compulsory, however abstracts will also be welcomed beyond the deadline.
Keywords: medication adherence, compliance, eHealth, mHealth
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
