Out of Physicians' Hands: TMA Challenges Unfair Quality Measures on Medication Adherence.

Only patients can pick up their own prescriptions, and only patients can propel that medication into their own bodies. Physicians can educate, emphasize, and admonish - but at the end of the day, they can't restrain and "pill" a squirming, uncooperative patient like a dog or cat. It's up to patients to do the right thing for themselves. Yet, some health plans' quality programs are putting that onus on physicians - through medication adherence metrics that determine whether physicians and accountable care organizations (ACOs) in value-based contracts receive bonus payments.