Patient Experiences With Handling of Analgesic Transdermal Patches and Challenges in Correct Drug Administration: A Pilot Study on Patient Education.

Background: Although problems during transdermal patch administration are primarily caused by insufficient knowledge, patient education programs are lacking. We compared patient education by a clinical pharmacist on knowledge on correct patch administration with routine counseling during patient-physician consultation in a pilot study.

Methods: After baseline assessment of knowledge and difficulties with patch administration, patients in the outpatient pain clinic of Heidelberg University Hospital were allocated to intervention (n = 12) or control group (n = 11).

["Critical discussion should be encouraged!" - a qualitative analysis of medical students' evaluation of a complementary medicine course].

Background:  In 2002, the new version of the German Medical Licensure Act integrated Naturopathy and Complementary Medicine into the cross-sectoral unit 12 "Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Naturopathy" (QB12) of the medical undergraduate course. At the University of Heidelberg, Complementary Medicine (CAM) is an obligatory clinical subject of the medical undergraduate curriculum and is delivered in the form of lectures and small group work. As a central educational objective, medical students should be able to explain the principles of classical Naturopathy and the most commonly used CAM procedures.