title: A behavioral approach to patient compliance.
abstract: A behavioral program for increasing a patient's compliance with a drug regimen can be administered by a physician or by trained health care personnel. The program focuses first on the development of a strong external cue to the timing of medication and then on helping the patient to have realistic expectations and to establish an appropriate self-reward for compliance. Monitoring of degree of compliance is essential to the success of the program, as is development of a cooperative, rather than authoritatian, relationship between physician and patient.
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations