Communication pharmacist with other health care professionals

The pharmacist uses the medical record as one means to communicate with other health care professionals and to document specific pharmacotherapeutic recommendations. 

The pharmacist who obtains patient histories, conducts physical examinations, orders laboratory tests, and prescribes medications must adopt new attitudes and develop new judgment skills. Communication is paramount, both with patients and with other health care professionals, particularly physicians. It has been said that poor communication and emotional issues are at the heart of nearly all medical malpractice actions.Interdisciplinary communication is vital to ease the passage of pharmacists into expanded prescribing roles good communication will enhance collaboration in patient care and diminish perceived threats to physicians autonomy and authority. Obviously, expanded clinical roles for pharmacists will require increased patient contact and strong communication skills. If the patient and the pharmacist fail to understand each other, the pharmacist s risk of liability is increased. 

Pharmacy is an essential part of the health care delivery system and pharmacists are critical in helping their patients achieve optimal outcomes from their medication therapy. Patients view the pharmacist as a highly credible and trusted source of health care advice. Communication with patients or caregivers and with other health care professionals is fundamental to the pharmacist s role as a drug therapy expert. Several sections within this text covering abbreviations, definitions, terminology, etc. should be useful in your college coursework and in future communication needs critical to your practice. 

With the Code of Ethics suggesting that pharmacists not discuss drug therapies with their patients, the profession lost sight of the need for pharmacists to communicate effectively with patients and other health care professionals. As the number of hospital and chain pharmacies expanded, resulting in pharmacists being more likely to be employees rather than business owners, the importance of practice management skills was not stressed in schools of pharmacy. Ironically, studies such as the Dichter Report commissioned by the APhA revealed that consumers regarded pharmacists more as merchants than as health care professionals (Maine and Penna, 1996). 

The Millis Commission s report in 1975, Pharmacists for the Future The Report of the Study Commission on Pharmacy (Millis, 1975), suggested that pharmacists were inadequately prepared in systems analysis and management skills and had particular deficiencies in communicating with patients, physicians, and other health care professionals. A subsequent report suggested including more of the behavioral and social sciences in pharmacy curricula and encouraged more faculty participation and research in real problems of practice (Millis, 1976). 

National and state pharmacy associations recognize National Pharmacy Week as an opportunity for promoting the value of pharmacist services. Public relations efforts include press releases, public display and information booths, community-based seminars, and health fairs. The target audience includes patients and other health care professionals. Associations such as the APhA and ASHP provide members with promotional materials and patient education information for use at hospital-based or other local events. 

Improving drug use outcomes requires the participation and cooperation of everyone involved in the case process. Physicians and other prescribers should specify the therapeutic objective in writing for each prescription they write, and this should be communicated to the patient and other members of the health care team. Pharmacists, nurses, and other health care professionals should monitor patients, documenting their interactions with patients, and communicate this information back to the health care team. ASHP s Statement on the Pharmacist s Role in Primary... 

Unless pharmacists in all practice settings document their activities and communicate with other health professionals, they may not be considered an essential and integral part of the health care team. 

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