Pharmacist-Patient relationship is essential in getting the desire therapeutic outcomes. You must establish the relationship and inspire trust in a very short amount of time, in order to implement therapeutic changes or even educate the patient. I have often talked about how many of my friends and even family members do not really know what I do as a clinical Pharmacist. More often than not, I have to explain that I do not dispense medications but rather manage patients’ therapies by managing their medications. It does not stop there; often-new patients will ask why they are seeing a Pharmacist for their diabetes or blood pressure and again the need for an explanation. Most people think of pharmacists as your friendly community pharmacist who fills your prescriptions at the local pharmacy. How does one go about building Pharmacist-Patient relationship in a clinic setting, when patients do not know what you do?
The Doctor-Patient relationship is one of trust, the patient knows that the doctor will help him or her feel better or cure whatever ails them. Patients need to trust that their doctor will do what is best for them to get them to feel better with no harm. Just as Doctors often build the doctor-patient trust relationship by using effective communication to activate patients to feel more comfortable to ask questions and offer information, so can pharmacists.
Establishing the Pharmacist-Patient Relationship
In the article: Improving Communication Skills of Pharmacy Students Through Effective Precepting it outlines strategies for establishing Pharmacist-Patient relationship. The most important first step is to inform the patient, from introducing yourself to explaining what to expect during the visit is gear to inform and make the patient feel at ease. Once patient knows what to expect, the continued interaction with the patient will build trust. Make sure patients know that you are collaborating with them and their Primary Care Physician to improve therapeutic outcomes. Once you have established the relationship, the use of effective communication will lead to better understanding of their medications, condition and improved therapeutic outcomes.
Effective Communication
Health literacy is: “The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” Effective communication is geared to improve Health literacy but many of our patients with low literacy, seniors, patients with diminished mental capacities and patients whose English is not their first language are some of the patients who have very low health literacy and communication is more difficult but it is imperative.
Consider the following questions as you develop and deliver health information:
• Is the information appropriate for the users?
• Is the information easy to use?
• Are you speaking clearly and listening carefully?
Strategies to improve communication such as using plain language.
1. Make a conscious effort to avoid medical jargon and vague instructions:
• Keep it short and simple.
• Slow down speech pace.
2. Only tell patients what they need to know, focus on key messages.
3. Check understanding using “teach back” (Schillinger et al 2003).
4. Effectively solicit questions: What questions do you have?
5. Patient friendly education materials:
• Appropriate content.
• Plain language.
• Simple layout and illustrations.
Factors Affecting Pharmacist-Patient Communication
Pharmacist-Patient communication is not carried out in isolation. Various internal and external factors affect this communication. Factors affecting professional pharmacy services are pharmacists’ beliefs and attitudes, society’s expectations of the pharmacist’s role as stated above, and pharmacy undergraduate education. Individual factors are lack of clinical education, professional attitudes, and motivation. On a more interpersonal level, the physician’s opinion of the service and building a relationship with the physicians are important, as well as the patients’ demands. Pharmacist can make sure that their personal beliefs and attitudes are not getting in the way of effectively communication with the patient.
An American study showed that students whose training program included experiential learning methods felt well prepared to practice counseling with patients than students without such training. That is why is so important that communication be addressed with students during their experiential rotations. Pharmacist need to be competent communicators in order to share their knowledge and ways they can improve therapy with the patients.
Patients will trust Pharmacist who come across competent, knowledgeable, caring and empathetic. Before patients can trust you, you need to build a relationship that will allow you as the Pharmacist to partner with the patient and Primary Care Physician to improve therapeutic outcomes. Effective communication can help start the pharmacist-patient relationship and help create trust in the relationship allowing the Pharmacist to maximize medication therapy, education and outcomes.
