Artificial intelligence applications in pharmacy to enhance medication adherence and improve patient outcomes

Abstract

Medication non-adherence remains a significant barrier to optimal clinical outcomes in pharmaceutical care. While traditional interventions often fail to address individual patient complexities, Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a personalized, data-driven alternative. This study evaluates the integration of AI-powered tools within the pharmacy to enhance medication adherence. A systematic review was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published through August 2024. AI improves adherence through four primary modalities: predictive analytics for identifying high-risk patients, mobile health (mHealth) applications for behavioral reinforcement, smart pill dispensers for real-time tracking, and conversational agents (chatbots) for continuous patient support. These tools enable pharmacists to shift from reactive to proactive care, significantly improving therapeutic monitoring and chronic disease management. Integrating AI into the pharmaceutical care cycle enhances the pharmacist’s ability to provide tailored interventions, though challenges regarding data privacy and implementation costs remain.