All of the following may increase a patient's adherence to medication therapy EXCEPT:
a. By asking an open-ended question to a patient regarding drug therapy.b. By educating a patient about proper drug usage.
c. By avoiding generic substitution.
d. By avoiding medical lingo.
Answer: (c). A pharmacist may increase a patient's adherence to medication:
1. By asking open-ended questions rather than close-ended question.
An open-ended question is designed to encourage a full, meaningful answer using the subject's own knowledge and/or feelings. It is the opposite of a closed-ended question, which encourages a short or single-word answer. Open-ended questions also tend to be more objective and less leading than closed-ended questions.
An example of open-ended question should be:
a. Tell me about your medication therapy. (open-ended question)
A closed-ended question is a question format that limits respondents with a list of answer choices from which they must choose to answer the question.
An example of close-ended question should be:
a. Are you taking your medication?
2. By addressing cost concerns. A pharmacist may suggest cheap generics or therapeutic alternatives, tablet splitting if appropriate, or any assistance program.
3. By linking doses with daily activities, smartphone apps or alarms, pillboxes, auto refills, etc.
4. By avoiding medical lingo. Ask patients to repeat back what you've told them.