Counseling and Communication to Patient

Patient Counseling is a provision of oral or written information about drugs and other health-related information to a patient or his/her representative during the dispensing process or stay in the hospital.

Scope of Counseling

• Generic Name and trade name of the drug
• Techniques for self-monitoring
• Use, action and onset of the drug
• Potential drug interaction
• Route, dosage form and storage condition
• Contraindications
• Directions for use
• Relationship with laboratory tests or X-ray procedure
• Action in case of missed dose
• Disposal of drugs and devices
• Precautions
• Side effects and Adverse effects
• Any other relevant health information unique to an individual patient

Communication Skills

Attending and Active Listening Skills 

•  Stop talking
• Get rid of distractions
• React to the ideas, NOT to the person
• Read non-verbal messages
• Listen to how something is said
• Provide feedback to clarify something

Interviewing Skills

• Ask open questions
• Ask closed question
• Check if the patient has understood or requires more information
• Avoid suggesting during data-gathering phase
• Provide a balance of questions
• Do not jump into conclusion 
• Keep goals of the conversation in mind 
• Avoid shifting from one topic to another until one is finished
• Maintain objectivity

Emphatic Responding Skills

• Reflecting is concentrating on the emotional meaning of what the patient condition or said
• Paraphrasing is conveying the essence of what was said
• Focusing is getting back to the topic of conversation

Influencing Skills

• Give relevant advice
• Make good suggestions
• Share correct information
• Summarize main points of information given
• Emphasize key points with " This is important..."
• Supplement spoken word with written  instruction
• Give reasons for key advice
• Check for accuracy of patient's understanding 
• Give definite, concrete, explicit instruction