The usefulness of Systematic Coding of Observed Human Behavior (SCOBe) for pharmacist-patient communication: insights...

Systematic approaches to studying pharmacist-patient communication are relevant to support the development of communication practices to improve identification and resolvement of patient medication-related problems. However, there is currently no established gold standard for systematically coding pharmacist-patient communication, making it relevant to explore whether existing Systematic Coding of Observed Human Behavior (SCOBe) systems from other healthcare professions could be transferable to pharmacy practice. Therefore, this commentary explores the opportunities and challenges of applying existing SCOBe systems, originally developed in other healthcare professions, to pharmacist-patient communication research, education, and practice. A group of pharmacy researchers carried out a screening and assessment process of already validated SCOBe systems, developed for other health settings, with regard to degree of need for adaptation to a pharmacy practice context. While many SCOBe systems appear potentially transferable to pharmacy practice, it is currently unclear what degree of adaptation is required. Some tools may need only limited revisions, whereas others would require major structural changes or complete re-validation to fit the pharmacist-patient context, a process that is both important and resource-intensive. The outcomes were discussed according to the need for pharmacy researchers to strategically select communication domains and prioritize validated instruments that can enhance comparability and strengthen collective knowledge. Collaborative efforts within international pharmacy networks may support the development of a recommended core set of coding tools. Moreover, SCOBe systems hold value not only for research but also for pharmacist education, contributing to a more humanistic and person-centered professional identity.