No matter how many times you explain the medication instructions to your patients, you will always wonder if they listened or retained any of the important information.
When you know what medications your patients are taking, it’s a good idea to secure an accurate list in their medical record. In fact, it’s an important step in preventing medication errors and adverse drug events. But without knowing what a patient is taking, or having been given an out-of-date list of medications, you run the risk of prescribing a new medication that may interact with something the patient is taking, or worse.
If you want to create accurate patient medication lists, open-ended questions are crucial. You can do this by encouraging your patients to provide detailed and comprehensive information about their medications. Don’t just ask them if they are taking medications. Instead, use questions like, “Tell me about your medicines you’re currently taking,” or “What medications do you take for your high blood pressure?” This will prompt patients to elaborate, thus revealing potentially overlooked details like over-the-counter drugs, supplements, or even medications prescribed by other doctors.
Prompting your patients to discuss their medications can uncover medications that aren’t in their electronic health record, such as over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies, or medications other healthcare providers prescribed. Discrepancies can also be identified. In other words, electronic medical records may not tell doctors what drugs their patients are actually taking. This can lead to a very risky situation for adverse drug events.
It’s also important that you understand patient concerns. Ask questions such as “What health concerns do you have?” or “What are you most worried about regarding your health?” These can reveal underlying anxieties, fears, or misconceptions about the medications they were prescribed.
Next, assess their adherence by asking, “How is this medication working for you?” or “Are you experiencing any side effects?” Open-ended questions will help identify these misconceptions and allow you to provide accurate information and address any concerns.
Patient medication interviews promote better communication and adherence. Here’s how:
- By incorporating open-ended questions into your practice, you can foster a more conversational and collaborative interaction between you and your patient.
- Allowing patients to share their experiences and perspectives and answering open-ended questions to enable them can take an active role in their health care.
- Building trust by listening to your patients’ concerns will foster a stronger patient-pharmacist relationship.
When you incorporate open-ended questions into the medication reconciliation process, healthcare providers can create more accurate and complete medication lists, leading to improved patient safety and outcomes.
Here are some more examples of open-ended questions you can use in your pharmacy:
- What medications have you been prescribed to manage your [condition]?
- What medications are you currently taking for your [specific condition]?
- Can you tell me about the medicines you are currently taking?
- Are there any other medications, including over-the-counter drugs or supplements, that you take regularly?
- How do you take your medications (e.g. orally, topically, by injection)?
- How are these medications working for you?
- What side effects have you experienced?
- What did your doctor tell you about this medication?
- What would you like to know about this medication?
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