Page 53 - Retail Pharmacy March 2021

CPD ACTIVITY 51 Box 3. Important aspects to consider when using the Teach-back method19 1. Use a caring tone of voice and attitude. 2. Display comfortable body language and make eye contact. 3. Use plain language. 4. Ask the patient to explain back, using their own words. 5. Use non-shaming, open-ended questions. 6. Avoid asking questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. 7. Emphasise that the responsibility to explain clearly is on you, the provider. 8. If the patient is unable to teach back correctly, explain again and re-check. 9. Use reader-friendly print materials to support learning. be used to screen patients and quickly identify those requiring additional support.17 Another way to establish an individual’s level of health literacy or information needs could include asking opened-ended questions related to the concept of health literacy. For example, based on the nine domains of the HLQ16, the pharmacist could ask some of the following questions: • What information do you feel you need to better understand about your health condition and medicines? • What difficulties do you experience when taking your medicines? • What level of support do you feel you require when taking your medicines? • What information have you discussed with your health provider about your health and medicines? • How comfortable do you feel asking your health provider questions about your health and medicines? • Where do you look for reliable information about your health and medicines? • What steps do you take to get information about your health and medicines? • Is there anything about your health and medicines that you are unsure or concerned about? These questions will assist pharmacists to understand individual health literacy needs and tailor health interventions or advice to cater to the patient’s information needs and health literacy gaps. Additionally, this process will foster an environment that promotes health literacy and can have a ripple effect of encouraging patients to play an active role in managing their health conditions. Role of the pharmacist in improving health literacy in older people Pharmacists currently engage and support older people to navigate the health system. However, some practical strategies can be used to enhance their quality of support, along with patient adherence to medicines.18 1. Effective communication Health literacy in older people is often compromised by the ageing process Australasian College of Pharmacy (eg, decreased vision and hearing). As a result, older patients are more reliant on the pharmacist for guidance and support about medicines. Some challenges that may affect the health literacy of older people include: • Difficulty hearing and understanding verbal medicine instructions. • Inability to read small fonts on medicine labels. • Age-related forgetfulness. • Confusion when medicine brands are substituted. Therefore, it’s important that pharmacists use effective communication strategies that promote health literacy and the uptake of medicines-related information in older people. It’s important to actively listen and take note of subtle cues, including how loudly the person speaks and the pace of their speech, when interacting with older patients. This will help in understanding their cognitive status and level of health literacy. Additionally, it’s important to establish a good rapport with patients. This involves:18 • Expressing empathy. • Encouraging individuals or their carers to participate in the decision-making process about their health and medicines. • Asking relevant questions. • Providing simple and clear patient education, along with supportive counselling (verbal and written) when a new medicine is started. In an instance where a patient requires several attempts to explain the medicine instructions, it will be important to follow them up (even telephonically) to ensure rational and safe use of their medicines.1 2. Teach-back method To ensure older patients have adequately understood verbal information provided, pharmacists can use a research-based health literacy intervention, the ‘Teach-back method’,19 to verify patients’ understanding of the health information provided. This involves asking the patient (or their caregiver) to explain, in their own words, the instructions or health information provided during the patient education or counselling session.19 For example, the pharmacist could ask, ‘I would like to make sure I have clearly explained how to take this medicine. Could you kindly explain to me the important information you have understood about this medicine and how you should take it?’19 It’s important to take into consideration certain communication-related aspects, in order to effectively utilise the Teach- back method (Box 3)19. When used effectively, the Teach-back method can help ascertain if a patient has understood the information provided.20 However, if the patient has not fully understood, it’s crucial to re-counsel, re-educate and re-check comprehension of key information, especially medicine instructions.19-20 3. Provision of written medicines information Patients should have a basic understanding of their medicines, including name, instructions, beneficial effects, TO PAGE 52 JOIN TODAY TO ENJOY THESE MEMBER BENEFITS • CPDguarantee–fournewtopicseachmonth • LearningplanandCPDcreditssummarytranscript • Comprehensiveandnon-biasedclinicaleducationmoduleswithonlineassessmentquestions LEARN MORE www.acp.edu.au info@acp.edu.au RETAIL PHARMACY • MAR 2021