One of the most important parts of your job as an independent community pharmacist is to help your patients take their medications safely and correctly. And the instructions you give to patients as they pick up their prescriptions—both written and verbal—are a key component of this.
No matter how good your counseling is, your instructions are useless if a patient doesn’t heed them. Alternatively, if patients don’t understand your instructions, then they might not know how to properly take their medications. And if patients aren’t sure how to take their medications, there’s a good chance they won’t take them correctly.
You can avoid this by ensuring your patients fully understand your instructions before they even leave your pharmacy. Here are some tips to ensure that your instructions are clear, easy to understand, and effective, too.
1. Be available and accessible
Make sure your patients know you’re on hand to help them if they have any concerns about their medication instructions. Post signs near the pharmacy counter to encourage patients to ask questions. Even if you regularly ask if patients have questions, a sign can serve as an additional reminder of your friendly service.
2. Give different options
The same method of delivering instructions might not work for all of your patients. Make your instructions more personal by giving your patients options on how they receive them. After providing one-on-one counseling, offer to write down specific notes, or ask patients if they’d like to receive an email with their instructions. And, make sure patients know how they can get in touch with you if they have questions later.
3. Be specific
Use wording that’s easy for your patients to understand. For example, avoid using words that could be interpreted in more than one way. “Biweekly,” for example, could mean either every two weeks or twice a week. Don’t leave it up to your patient to decide which one that is.
4. Be engaging
If your patients seem confused by their instructions, don’t just list them out for them. Engage them by asking questions or having them repeat the instructions back to you. This is a simple way to make sure your patients understand the information you’re providing them.
5. Encourage your patients to be proactive
Part of helping your patients understand their medications includes teaching them to be proactive. The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) offers several resources for patients, such as this wallet card that can help them keep track of their medications. The council also offers a list of questions patients can ask their health care providers. You could hand these resources out in your pharmacy, or create your own to give out.
Communicating with your patients about their medications will build trust, position you as a health care expert and improve your patients’ medication adherence. Be clear and complete in your instructions, and you’re well on your way to a healthier community and a healthier pharmacy business.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
