The joys of dodging non-compliant patients

Ever had a patient so determined to avoid their meds they start hiding them in the wildest places? Just the other day, I found a pill bottle in a cereal box… It’s like a game of hide-and-seek that no one wants to play, but you can’t help but laugh at the creativity.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌⁠‌​​‌‌‌‌‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍⁠‌‌​‌‍​⁠‌‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍‌​‌⁠‌⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠‌⁠‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

But i’ve found meds stashed in the strangest places too! It’s like they’re trying to win an Olympic event in hiding. Just this week, a patient asked if we could turn their pill routine into a scavenger hunt — maybe we should start giving out trophies! Ever consider using humor to coax them into compliance?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​​⁠​​​‍⁠‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍⁠‌​‍‌‌​⁠‌‌​​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

It’s like a scavenger hunt, but instead of treasure, we find pill bottles in the oddest places! I had a patient once package their meds in a lunchbox to avoid taking them. Ever consider suggesting a med reminder app instead?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍⁠‌‍​⁠‌​‌​‌‌​‍‌​‍‌‌​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​⁠‍‌‌​⁠‍‌​​‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠‌‍​‌‌‌‍‍‌​‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

It’s wild how creative patients can get! I once had someone hide their pills under a loose floorboard; just a little surprise when cleaning! Sometimes, bringing in family to help with reminders works better than any app.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‌‌​⁠​‌‌​‍‌​⁠​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍‌⁠‌‌‌​‌​‌‍‌⁠‌​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​​⁠‍​‌​‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌