Communication in Pharmacy Practice

Abstract

"Communication is a crucial part of pharmacy practice, in community pharmacies, as well as in other health care settings. The communicative role of pharmacists and other pharmacy staff is an important part of, e.g., dispensing, pharmaceutical care, and counselling services provided to patients. It is through high quality communication that patients’ needs can be assessed and information, education and advice given, in this way ensuring a rational use of medicine. In addition, effective inter-professional communication with other health care professions is central for health outcomes of patient treatments.

However, communication is a complex area, dealing with, not only the transmission of content, but also intrapersonal relationships, social processes, etc. Barriers and facilitators to communication are many, including psychological, socio-economic, cognitive and environmental factors. Through research in pharmacy practice communication we can help develop skills, tools and processes, to make patient encounters and other encounters as good as possible."