"How do I say that?": Using communication principles to enhance medication therapy management instruction.

Background And Purpose: Medication therapy management (MTM) is a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to improving medication use, reducing the risk of adverse events and improving medication adherence. Given the service delivery model and required outputs of MTM services, communication skills are of utmost importance. The objectives of this study were to identify and describe communication principles and instructional practices to enhance MTM training.

Educational Activity And Setting: Drawing on formative assessment data from interviews of both pharmacy educators and alumni, this article identifies and describes communication principles and instructional practices that pharmacy educators can use to enhance MTM training initiatives to develop student communication strategies.

Findings: Analysis revealed five key communication challenges of MTM service delivery, two communication principles that pharmacy teachers and learners can use to address those challenges, and a range of specific strategies, derived from communication principles, that students can use when challenges emerge. Implications of the analysis for pharmacy educators and researchers are described.

Summary: Proactive communication training provided during MTM advanced pharmacy practice experiences enabled students to apply the principles and instructional strategies to specific patient interactions during the advanced pharmacy practice experiences and in their post-graduation practice settings.