Pharmacist-patient relationship development in an ambulatory clinic setting

We investigated the pharmacist-patient relationship, conceptualizing its in terpersonal constructs and dynamics using social exchange principles. The c onstructs of felt indebtedness (FI), collaborative willingness (CW), interp ersonal relationship quality (IRQ), medication use beliefs (MUBs), and crit ical interpersonal incidents (CII) between pharmacist and patient were prop osed, measured, and modeled. Patient responses were collected using intervi ews and mail surveys in 2 pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinics. Highe r IRQ levels predicted greater FI toward and CW with pharmacists (p < .01). MUBs predicted CW with IRQ mediating the association (P < .01). Patients r eporting positive CII gave higher IRQ ratings and expressed greater Fl (p < .05). Findings suggested that patients' perceptions of their pharmacists, and not their therapy, may lead to increased interpersonal exchange and pat ient collaboration in care.