6^th Asia-Pacific Pharma Congress

Biography

Biography: Aref Alabed

Abstract

There is no doubt that patient counselling has a positive and significant impact on the patient's knowledge when visiting a pharmacy. Research proved that 8 out of 10 patients cannot remember what the doctor told them about their prescribed medication! What is it? How should it be taken? Also what if the patient forgot to tell the Doctor about the medication they take at home? This would then result in a drug-drug interaction with the new prescribed medication! Can you imagine that only 20% of what you tell the patient is scientific knowledge, the other 80% is all about counselling, empathy and education with the patient! Pharmacists do not focus on these skills during their university level because they are busy with developing their scientific knowledge! We also must bear in mind that the majority of patients are not aware that it is the pharmacist who is responsible in giving them all information required with regard to their medication, they think it is only the Doctor’s job. For that reason the pharmacist must always start to counsel the patient, unless the patient shows previous knowledge! During a typical working day for a pharmacist it’s impossible to counsel all the patients, therefore counselling in a written form will definitely come in handy, of course it is not to replace the face to face counselling, it is still very important! Whether it’s through face to face counselling or through a written form at the end of the day all pharmacists should strive for one goal when counselling patients: which is to ensure that patients are well informed about the proper use of their medications.