I Want It Now! The curious economics of temptation By Tim Harford Slate.com Nov. 25, 2006

While this brief article at Slate.com, an entry in that online publication’s “Undercover Economist” column, does not mention healthcare or compliance, the applicability of its message to those areas is apparent. That message is set forth in these two excerpts:

The author goes on to point out the utility of this insight, describing, as an example, a plan called:

Commentary

Every clinician has dealt with the patient who will follow his blood sugars assiduously, take her pills precisely as prescribed, or adhere to his diet – tomorrow. The idea raised in this article should, at least, remind physicians that it’s likely that the patient’s explanations are manifestations of the value he or she places on immediacy rather than a failure of will power or an excuse offered in hopes of avoiding compliance.

And, perhaps lifestyle shifts (e.g., terminating smoking) are more likely to be effected if the clinician recommending the change suggests that the commitment to change be made now with the actual behavioral alteration taking place in the future.

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