The effect of an alphanumeric paging system on patient compliance with medicinal regimens.

There are numerous actual and potential impediments to patient compliance with medicinal regimens. The implications of poor compliance include worsening disease states or symptoms, with resultant increased costs of care. Using a population of hospice patients at high risk for noncompliance, this study evaluated the use of an alphanumeric paging system as a memory prosthetic, finding that compliance rose from a mean of 56 percent to 96 percent when the system was used. We conclude that such a program is of use in this setting, and that these findings warrant study and suggest applications in other populations.