INCREASING CLIENTS KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS ROLES

Purpose. The pharmaceutical care framework requires an active client-p harmacist partnership, particularly with respect to consultation about medications. With low client expectations for pharmacist consultation documented by several studies, this research sought to identify: 1) w hat information clients want from pharmacists, 2) what barriers preven t clients from asking pharmacists their questions, and 3) whether an i nexpensive intervention could increase client short-term knowledge of pharmacist roles related to patient consultation and monitoring prescr iption appropriateness. Role theory provides a framework for this stud y. Methods. Nineteen community pharmacies and 355 pharmacy clients par ticipated in the study. Each client completed a survey on their needs for information and knowledge of pharmacist roles, with clients in the experimental arm receiving a short brochure on pharmacist roles while a control group did not. Results. Sixty percent wanted information ab out side effects; 51% wanted directions for how to take the medication correctly. Most frequently listed barriers to asking pharmacists ques tions were client embarrassment and ignorance that it was appropriate to seek information from pharmacists. Significantly more experimental group clients than control group clients correctly answered survey que stions about pharmacist roles and training. Only 52% of the control gr oup believed the pharmacist always checks for possible drug interactio ns. Only 55% believed pharmacists were required to provide appropriate patient consultation for prescriptions under state law. Conclusions. Brief exposure to a short pamphlet about pharmacists' activities incre ased knowledge of pharmacist roles and training, suggesting that inexp ensive interventions can impact on client short term knowledge of phar macist roles.