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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Health Care

“I want to help my patients with HIV stick with their treatment plans so they’ll have the best possible health outcomes.”

Health care providers develop treatment plans for their patients based on clinical guidance, but finding effective strategies to help patients stick to those treatment plans can be a challenge. This example shows how a provider could use Evidence-Based Resources (EBRs) to help increase HIV patients’ medication adherence.

1. Identify the need.

What is the issue you’re trying to address? For example: “Taking antiretroviral therapy every day is one of the most important steps that people with HIV can take to stay healthy — but this can be a real challenge for some patients.”

2. See how the need aligns with national goals.

Health care providers’ work with patients not only makes an impact at the individual level — it also adds up. In fact, it’s key to achieving Healthy People 2030 objectives. Type “HIV” in the search bar to find objectives related to HIV.

3. Explore EBRs related to your goals.

From an objective’s overview page, find related EBRs by choosing the Evidence-Based Resources tab in the left-hand navigation menu. For example, from the overview page for Increase Viral Suppression — HIV-05, check out the EBR Health Information Technology: Text Messaging Interventions for Medication Adherence Among Patients with Chronic Diseases.

4. Get help from staff and colleagues.

Work with your staff and colleagues to develop a plan for implementing the intervention. Consider logistics, costs, and the unique needs of your patients.

5. Get patient input.

Once you have an initial plan for an evidence-based intervention to help increase medication adherence, ask patients for their input. Find out what they like and don’t like about the plan, and ask for their suggestions on ways to improve the intervention to better meet their needs. Then make changes based on their input.

6. Implement the intervention.

You have the research, the resources, and the buy-in from staff and patients — now it’s time to put your plan into action! Let your patients know what to expect — and then give the intervention a go.

7. Evaluate the intervention.

Make sure to track your patients’ medication adherence to see what kind of an impact your intervention is having. Many EBRs even have information about how to effectively evaluate an intervention over time.