A drug self-administration program: a behavioral approach to patient education.

This study is an evaluation of an in-hospital patient education and drug self-administration program. The main goal of this patient education strategy was to increase appropriate drug use by patients after they were discharged from the hospital. Patients first learned about their medications from hospital staff, including pharmacists, and then gradually assumed the responsibility for self-administration of their drugs. Patients practices taking their medication while hospital staff monitored their actions, correcting inappropriate use and reinforcing correct use. Results showed that the program significantly increased both levels of drug knowledge and patient compliance when compared to a control group. An analysis of covariance revealed that improved compliance was attributable to both participation in the program and to the increase in drug knowledge. Patients were more satisfied with pharmacy services and perceived the pharmacist as being more knowledgeable about prescription drugs after interacting with pharmacists in this program. Analysis of patient locus of control revealed that internally oriented patients complied better after participating in the program than did externally oriented patients. In the control group, externally oriented patients complied better after receiving typical hospital care than did internally oriented patients. Thus, results imply that this behavioral approach benefited internally oriented patients.