COUNSELING PATIENTS ABOUT PRESCRIBED MEDICATION - 12-YEAR TRENDS

OBJECTlVES. The authors determined patients' report of prescription dr ug counseling activities after withdrawal of the pilot program to requ ire patient package inserts in 1980 and implementation ol: Omnibus Bud get Reconciliation Act of 1990 counseling requirements in 1993. METHOD S. Four cross-sectional national telephone surveys were conducted in t he fall of 1982, 1984, 1992, and 1994. Telephone households were chose n by random-digit dialing. Subjects had obtained a new prescription fo r themselves or for a family member at a retail pharmacy during the pr evious 4 weeks. Verbal counseling rates at physician offices and pharm acies for five information categories and the distribution of written information at those locations were determined. RESULTS. Spontaneous v erbal counseling at the physician's office has increased slightly, wit h the largest increases focused on the delivery of side effect and pre cautionary information. Slightly larger increases in pharmacy-delivere d information regarding directions for use and precautions have occurr ed. Patient questioning has remained at single digit levels at both si tes. The percentage of patients receiving any written information has increased from 5% to 15% at the physician's office and from 16% to 59% at the pharmacy. CONCLUSIONS. The data indicate small increases in ve rbal counseling but larger increases in the delivery of written inform ation provided at the pharmacy. In light of Healthy People: 2000 goals for patient counseling and legislation encouraging private-sector ini tiatives these data should help to refocus attention on the continuing need for effective patient education interventions.