The evidence on ways to improve patient's adherence in hand therapy

摘要

We have all had patients arrive for follow-up appointments either without their orthotic or with some unauthorized or unsafe modifications to it. We have all had patients who miss crucial appointments, and we have all seen disasters (such as tendon ruptures) that could have been prevented if the patients followed the carefully designed program we created for them. Although it is estimated that nonadherence rates are relatively low in people with acute hand injuries (<=25%), the associated risks in this group are higher, as they are more likely to result in the need for difficult secondary surgical procedures, increased disability, longer recovery times, and an increased burden on health care resources.