Reconceptualizing Compliance in Home Health Care

The term "compliance" and its traditional definitions frequently are criticized in the literature. Although a number of authors advocate a collaborative model of compliance, with compliance decisions and responsibilities for health outcomes shared by provider and patient, few describe this model in practice. This study investigated compliance communication in two home care agencies. Findings from interviews with 6 nurses and observation during home visits to 25 patients (N = 31) revealed a prosocial, collaborative model of compliance that coincides with the participative model of medical care (Smith, 1989) and a redefinition of compliance advanced by Kontz (1989).