The Importance of an Individualized Approach to Adherence

At Navio, we’ve learned that a simple reminder at the right time, in the proper way, has the potential for massive impact. We’re now beginning to see that potential for impact become real. Navio observed utilization of our medication reminder & checklist features across study participants over the course of eight weeks. These simple solutions proved to be powerful, and also uncovered the importance of an individualized approach to truly understanding and overcoming non-adherence. 

Navio’s reminders & checklist improve adherence

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100% of participants in the eight week study said that navio’s texts helped them remember to take their medications, and 92% said that navio’s checklist helped them remember that they were taken. Using the texts & checklist established a habit for participants - and this habit benefited from the small but steady support system of daily messages. 

“It's been really helpful to get reminders. Especially when I have really busy and stressful days and am juggling a lot of things. The reminder has kept me on track.”

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Other support systems such as phone alarms may have been utilized in the past, but participants have chosen to continue using navio’s text messages over their old alarms, noting that text messages are far less intrusive and less likely to be ignored and then forgotten. The checklist also replaced some less reliable systems, such as memory alone or handwritten notes that were easily misplaced. 

There are consistent challenges that are individually unique

Even for highly adherent and routine-driven people, there are moments when we all may be thrown off track. For some of our participants - it’s weekday mornings during school drop off (or zoom setup) for their children, and for others, it’s days when habitual patterns are broken such as Saturdays or holidays. The realities of life create specific points of friction for us all.

Figure 1: Mornings vs. Evenings

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Figure 2: Shifts in routine on Saturdays

Finding the right approach for you

Factors in your own unique life matter, and you should consider and anticipate small or large moments of friction in your day-to-day. While becoming aware of these patterns and obstacles, you can also begin to overcome them with some small nudges of help. Simple and customizable tools, like Navio’s text message reminders & checklist, can support both awareness and action. By having a small and steady reminder when you need it, improved habits can be built to withstand both typical and atypical days, and steadiness can be found. 

Figure 3: Getting into a habit

“After a few weeks of getting continuous reminders, it’s become a habit and easier to remember.” 

How Navio can help in your individual approach

As adherence is such an individual experience, the tools to support it must be flexible and fit cohesively in one’s life. Navio’s reminders & checklist offer a simple and easily customizable solution. Scheduled text reminders bring a small push of daily support, with times that can always be updated if routines change. Texts alone can be used for the assistance of memory, or the integrated digital checklist can also be used for recollection if helpful. Anyone in any stage of their care journey, with any or no diagnosis at all, is welcome to use Navio’s medication tools. Simply fill out a few details about your medication timing by clicking here and we’ll get you set up.

What’s next

This case study was the first step in understanding nuances of adherence that we have the opportunity to observe & share back with the community. Navio can build on this effort and explore more deeply - How does non-adherence vary by type of medication, where a patient is in their journey, or based on how a patient is feeling? What are the clinical and quality of life impacts of discrete or accumulated non-adherence? If you are a researcher or provider with any adherence questions of your own, get in touch by sending me a note at stephanie@navio.com.