Patient support for compliance with medication treatment

Every year, improper use of medication costs the society and the state large amounts. The pharmaceuticcal industry is also negatively impacted by costs for medicines which are improperly used, such as doctors and patients losing faith in a particular substance which provides benefits when used correctly. For this reason there is broad support for securing the quality of prescriptions and the use of medicines.

Patient support for lifestyle changes

There is widespread agreement that lifestyle changes and increased physical activity carry great health benefits. An unhealthy lifestyle and physical inactivity contribute both directly and indirectly to the total healthcare burden and, besides causing human suffering, also cause considerable costs to society due to illness and premature death.

Unfortunately health economic studies in this area are lacking. In an SBU report from 2007 an estimation is still made that it would be reasonable to assume that increased health advice and physical activity would in most cases be a “profitable” endeavour:

• for the patient through improved health and quality of life,
• for healthcare through improved treatment outcomes and
• for society as a whole through more effective use of resources and increased welfare for its citizens.