Patient Experience-of-Care Is Associated With Adherence/Persistence to Cardiometabolic Disease Medications in an Ambulatory Setting

Authors

Robert Romanelli, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CAFollow
Vani Nimbal, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Qiwen Huang, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Wang Xiang, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Joyce LaMori, Janssen Scientific Affairs, Population Health Research, Titusville, NJ
Dilesh Doshi, Janssen Scientific Affairs, Population Health Research, Titusville, NJ
Sukyung Chung, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CAFollow

Publication Date

8-10-2017

Keywords

cardiovascular disease, observational studies, communication, patients, providers, diabetes, clinical decision-making, chronic disease, patient experience/satisfaction

Abstract

Background: We aimed to investigate associations between patient ratings of experience-of-care and medication adherence or persistence to cardiometabolic disease (CMD) medications in an ambulatory care setting.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted using electronic health records and administrative data from an ambulatory care network in Northern California. We included managed-care beneficiaries (≥ 18 years) with a prescription for a CMD medication between 2010 and 2014. CMD medications included antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and antihypertensive agents. Within each class, we chose the first medication prescribed within 14 days of an office encounter that was associated with a completed Press-Ganey patient-experience survey. Primary outcome measures were adherence (proportion of days covered ≥ 0.80) and persistence (no gap in pharmacy fills > 1.5× of a day’s supply). The main predictor variables were experience-of-care domains, which comprised health care providers’ (a) explanation about problems or conditions; (b) effort to include patients in treatment decisions; (c) information about medications; and (d) information about follow-up care. Experience-of-care was rated on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to assess associations between adherence or persistence (yes/no) and ratings for each experience-of-care domain (dichotomized as 5 vs < 5), with statistical adjustment for important patient, prescription and provider characteristics. Odds ratios (ORs) were generated.

Results: Eligibility criteria were met by 5,045 patients. The majority of patients were ≥ 65 years old (61.8%); median of CMD medications was 2. Patients receiving antihyperglycemic medications had higher odds of adherence when they had better experience-of-care with “inclusion in treatment decisions” (OR: 1.64) and “information about follow-up care” (OR: 1.60). Patients receiving antihyperlipidemic medications had higher odds of persistence when they had better experiences-of-care within each domain (range of ORs: 1.38–1.57). Patients receiving antihypertensive medications had higher odds of persistence when they had better experiences-of-care with “inclusion in treatment decisions” (OR: 1.52) and “information about medications” (OR: 1.55).

Conclusion: In an ambulatory care setting, better experience-of-care with a health care provider in making shared treatment decisions was consistently a positive predictor of adherence/persistence. The relationship between other domains of experience-of-care and adherence/persistence differed by therapeutic class. Improving adherence or persistence to CMD medications through better patient experiences with their health care providers will likely require tailored approaches.

Recommended Citation

Romanelli R, Nimbal V, Huang Q, Xiang W, LaMori J, Doshi D, Chung S. Patient experience-of-care is associated with adherence/persistence to cardiometabolic disease medications in an ambulatory setting. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2017;4:164.