Patient counseling is a process where pharmacists provide information and assistance to help patients use their medications correctly, which involves assessing their understanding and improving adherence. Effective counseling can reduce medication errors, enhance self-management, and improve patient satisfaction while also potentially cutting healthcare costs. Key steps in counseling include understanding the patient and their condition, discussing medications and side effects, and encouraging patient engagement.

2. WHAT IS PATIENT COUNSELLING?
•Patient counseling refers to the
process of providing information,
advice and assistance to help
patients use their medications
appropriately
•Patient counseling is an acquired
skill of a pharmacist

3. OBJECTIVES
1.Assessing the patient‘s
understanding of the therapy
including proper use and
adverse effects of the
medication.
2.Improving patient adherence.
3.Motivating the patient to take
an active role in health
management.

4. •Studies have shown that patient counseling can
improve patient care in various ways
1.Reducing medication errors.
2.Increasing patients understanding and
management of their medical condition.
3.Minimizing incidence of adverse drug reactions
and drug-drug interactions.
4.Improving patient outcomes and satisfaction with
care.

5. FEATURES OF EFFECTIVE PATIENT COUNSELING:
Build Trust
Listen Verbal
communication
non-Verbal
communication
Ask questions
Show sympathy &
encouragement

6. WHY PHARMACISTS SHOULD
COUNSEL PATIENTS?
• Improved therapeutic outcomes and decreased adverse effects
• Improved patient adherence to the treatment plan
• decreased medication errors and misuse
• Enhanced patient self-management by involving the patient in
designing the therapeutic plan.
• Potential for decreased health care costs due to appropriate use
of medications and prevention of adverse events.

7. EFFECTS OF POOR COUNSELLING

8. STEPS INVOLVED IN PATIENT COUNSELLING
• INTRODUCTION
• UNDERSTANDING THE PATIENT
• UNDERSTANDING PATIENTS MEDICAL CONDITION
• COUNSELLING ABOUT PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS
• COUNSELLING ABOUT MAJOR SIDE EFFECTS
• COUNSELLING ABOUT DRUG INTERACTION
• PRECAUTIONS
• REFILL INFORMATION
• ENSURE ABOUT UNDERSTANDING OF PATIENT
• ASKING ANY QUERIES

9. KEY POINTS COVER DURING COUNSELLING
• NAME , STRENGTH DOSAGE, ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION,
PURPOSE, EXPECTED BENEFITS OF MEDICATIONS
• HOW AND WHEN TO TAKE MEDICATIONS
• ADVERSE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF
MEDICATIONS
• PRECAUTIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, DRUG
INTERACTIONS
• REFILL INFORMATION AND FOLLOW UP
• ASK PATIENTS IF HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS