|
Abstract: Medication counseling is
providing medication related information orally or in
written form to patients or their representatives, on
topics like direction of use, advice on side effects,
precautions, storage, diet and life style modifications
by trained and qualified pharmacists. It aims to improve
patient concordance with treatment. Counseling aids are
used to make counseling more effective. Manipal Teaching
Hospital, Pokhara was the first hospital to set up a
Medication Counseling Center (MCC) in Nepal. The center
has played a vital role in improving concordance with
treatment. A MCC was set up in KIST Medical College, a
new medical school in Lalitpur district on 17th June
2008. Before starting counseling a consensus was created
among prescribers regarding its necessity and
advantages. A liaison person was selected from
Gynecology and Obstetrics for fostering closer links
with clinicians. The experience of the first center at
Pokhara was used for framing guidelines for functioning.
A documentation form was designed. Counseling was
initially limited to certain conditions and devices and
gradually expanded to others. OBRA-90 recommendations
were followed while counseling. Despite initial
difficulties the service was accepted and has counseled
over 200 patients till now. The authors share their
experiences in this article.
Introduction: Medication counseling is
defined as providing medication related information
orally or in w ritten form to patients or their
representatives, on topics like direction of use, advice
on side effects, precautions, storage, diet and life
style modifications.1 Counseling is usually carried out
in the Medication Counseling Center (MCC) a specialized
area located near the hospital pharmacy or the
outpatient department. The center is usually staffed by
trained and qualified pharmacists and provides
information and counseling to patients regarding the use
of medicines so that better concordance (adherence) to
treatment can be achieved. MCC uses specialized
counseling aids like charts, models, books and even
videos to counsel patients about the use of their
medicines. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs), Metered dose
inhalers (MDIs), Insulin pen, Spacer, Baby Mask, and
Vaginal Pessaries are among the aids which can be used.
For full text of this article contact the publisher on
info@kppub.com
|
The above content is an
abstract only. For the full Article please contact:
KONGPOSH Publications Pvt. Ltd.
ICS House, C-19, Commercial Complex, SDA, Opp. IIT Gate,
New Delhi, India -110016
Tel.: 26855839, 20057149, Fax: 91-11-26855876
Email:
info@kppub.com /
fpc@vsnl.com, Website:
http://www.kppub.com |
