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# Communication Skills ## Patient-Related Personal Barriers * Several personal barriers relate to patients. * If patients perceive you as not being knowledgeable or trustworthy, they will tend not to ask questions or listen to the advice being offered. * Another patient perception that hinders com...

# Communication Skills ## Patient-Related Personal Barriers * Several personal barriers relate to patients. * If patients perceive you as not being knowledgeable or trustworthy, they will tend not to ask questions or listen to the advice being offered. * Another patient perception that hinders communication is their belief that the health care system is impersonal. * Patient perceptions of their medical conditions may also inhibit communication. ## Administrative Barriers * Several factors dealing with the administrative aspects of pharmacy practice serve as barriers to communication. * Most community practitioners are not paid directly for educating or communicating with patients. * The mechanics of dispensing prescriptions may distract from the communication process. * It is difficult to type a label, count medications, talk on the phone, and complete other necessary dispensing tasks while trying to communicate with the patient. * Another subtle barrier is the pharmacist's desire to answer every phone call, which may give the impression to the patient that the pharmacist does not want to talk to him or her. ## Time Barriers * Choosing an inappropriate time to initiate conversation may lead to communication failure. ## Patient Interview Techniques * Pharmacists often must obtain information from patients as part of the patient assessment process. * Inquiries range from rather simple requests, such as asking whether a patient is allergic to penicillin, to rather complex problems, such as determining whether a patient is taking a medication properly. * Interviewing is an important component in the disease management process as pharmacists obtain information for therapeutic decision making. * Effective interviewing also allows pharmacists to evaluate patient adherence to medication regimens by asking appropriate questions. ### Components of an Effective Interview * The interviewing process contains several critical components that should be mastered. 1. Listening.