NOTE: The scoring in the spreadsheet is a modification. While the method was developed for oral medications, there is no reason that ophthalmic or other routes cannot also be included.
Method:
(1) All prescription oral drug containers are collected ("brown bag" review).
(2) The drug details (brand and generic names, dose, and instructions) for each drug are recorded.
(3) The patient is interviewed about specific details of how the medications are taken.
(4) Each drug is scored separately.
(5) The mean score for all medications is the composite score.
Parameters for each drug:
(1) dose
(2) indication(s)
(3) food and water coingestion
(4) regimen
Each parameter is scored from 0 to 25%.
|
Parameter Knowledge
|
Points
|
|
totally incorrect
|
0%
|
|
in between
|
1 to 24%
|
|
perfectly correct
|
25%
|
total score for an individual drug =
= SUM(points for all 4 parameters)
mean score =
= (total of all drug scores) / (number of drugs evaluated)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0%
• maximum score: 100%
• maximum mean score: 100%
• The higher the score the greater the patient's familiarity with the drug regimen.
