Effective Pharmacist­Patient Interactions

Throughout an interaction, the participants (e.g., the pharmacist and the patient) alternate between the roles of “sender” and “receiver” of the message. Information should not be provided in a unidirectional manner. Rather, information is exchanged. As a receiver, the pharmacist has the responsibility of listening to what the patient is saying, understanding the issue and providing feedback on whether the message was understood. As the sender, the pharmacist has the responsibility of transmitting the message clearly, in language understood by the patient and in an environment conducive to clear transmission. For effective patient interaction consider 2 major components—how the interaction is organized, and how well the pharmacist uses communication skills. The use of verbal and nonverbal communication skills throughout the interaction ensures that a full description of the presenting complaint and associated symptoms, as well as other relevant information, are gathered from the patient.