Major
Pharm.D. (six years)
Minor(s)
Biology
Advisor
Jacobson, Anita
Advisor Department
Pharmacy Practice (PHP)
Date
5-2018
Abstract
Objective: To examine available literature on patient-provider communication directed specifically to pharmacists and create a succinct guide of communication techniques.
Methods: Two systematic searches were conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, APhA Library, Access Pharmacy, Communication Abstracts (EBSCO), and ComDisDome (Proquest). The first search quantified the literature available relating to communication techniques for non-pharmacist healthcare providers, such as physicians and nurses. The second search examined the information available on communication techniques directed to pharmacists and pharmacy practice. After conducting these general searches, the results were narrowed to clinical trials and review articles. Since the focus of this project was patient communication, publications that discussed techniques for inter-professional communication between healthcare providers were excluded. Additionally, since many publications presented nearly identical information, only one representative publication was included in the final analysis.
Results: While ample literature exists for various healthcare professionals related to communication techniques, less information is directed specifically toward pharmacists. A search of 'communication AND pharmacy' in PubMed yielded 261 results, while the search of 'communication AND physicians' yielded 9130 results, and 'communication AND nurses' yielded 5071 results. Furthermore, after critically analyzing studies and review articles yielded from the systematic searches, only 3 publications directed specifically to pharmacists were found, compared to 17 publications directed to physicians, and 8 published articles directed to nurses.
Implication/Conclusion: With a lack of literature directed specifically to communication techniques in pharmacy practice, pharmacists may be relying on literature directed towards other healthcare disciplines to procure information related to patient interactions. As a result of this project, communication techniques specific to the practice of pharmacy were compiled and a guide of was developed for use by pharmacists.