Communication of verbal information by community pharmacists

Communication of verbal information on prescribed drugs is recognized as an important function of the pharmacist. This article describes and analyzes the communication behavior adopted by community pharmacists in the province of Quebec. Data were collected by means of two questionnaires mailed to a random sample of 634 community pharmacists. Percentage of prescriptions for new medications on which the pharmacists indicated they provide verbal information averaged 68.9 (SD 24.2). A majority of respondents indicated that they include information on the indication and mode of administration in more than 75 percent of their counseling episodes. However, on average, rare but serious adverse effects were less frequently discussed. The frequency of verbal communication was analyzed according to the pharmacist's gender, number of years since licensure, employment status, work setting, and perceptions of both professional and commercial dimensions of the pharmacist's role. Regression showed that perception of the professional dimension of the role, gender, workload, and floor surface of the pharmacy were related to provision of verbal information on new prescribed medications.