Press here, out pops a pill: IT-enabled behavior mod makes patients take their meds

[Richard Corcoran]

Here’s an interesting and novel way to engage patients in their own care. Have them go online, or make an interactive phone call, or click on their mobile device and – Voila! – they earn points for taking their meds and, so the theory goes, those points will increase the likelihood that they’ll take those meds in the future.

As reported in Healthcare IT News, a Boston company has introduced new technology that uses principles developed by famed behaviorist B.F. Skinner to reward patients for sticking to prescribed drug regimes and wellness programs. HealthHonors developers say the behavior-reward technique will reduce medication non-adherence by giving patients the chance to accrue points (which can be used for things like co-payment discount coupons and fitness equipment) by demonstrating that they are following doctor's orders.

Click here (http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=9596&page=1) to read more.

This certainly could work. The science does say that intermittent reinforcement schedules result in the most robust behaviors. I wonder if it will?

PS - As I recall, B.F. Skinner did most of his seminal work rewarding caged pigeons for pressing a bar.

[dhowell]

That's a very interesting concept, but what I find a little unsettling is that you're supposed to adhere to your medication regimine to obtain good health, that's the reward. By making the "reward" coupons for something else, (read "toys"), I believe inappropriate behavior is being rewarded and encouraged...and should we be doing that??? I believe that if a self directed, oriented, reasonably intelligent person has to be bribed to take proper care of him/herself, then society as a whole is being held hostage to a "I'll hold my breath until I turn blue if you don't give me that cookie Now" mentality. I am a firm believer in allowing people to self dertermine what they will and will not do as long as it does not adversely impact on others. If someone decides that they will not (and I don't mean can not for other reasons, such as cost), take their medications, well the onus is on them and I know it might sound heartless, but let them suffer the consequences of their actions. Furthermore, I would like to see them suffer some sort of economic penalty for their nonadherence causing an increased cost to the general health insurance cost pool. If you have COPD and continue to smoke against your MD's advice, you shouldn't get a "toy" for using your medication...you need to get spanked! I refuse to be an enabler, count me out on this one. :mad: