OBJECTIVES:

Community pharmacists play an important role in counseling of rational drug use for population. This study aimed to characterize counseling activities of drug use at community pharmacies at Hue City by direct observations.

METHODS:

Data collection involved performing 63 total hours of blind direct observations in 21 pharmacies by five final-year pharmacy students in 2017. The 14-item checklist evaluation was filled out immediately after the direct observation.

RESULTS:

Of 269 interactions between pharmacy staff and customers, 61.1% of cases received counseling from pharmacists (pharmacists actively consulted in 59.3% cases, the rest advised due to customers’ demand). In terms of counseling content, pharmacists asked question about whom the drugs were bought for (52.9%), disease symptoms (63.6%). Medical and medication history were rarely collected. Pharmacists counseled on drug indications (51.4%), dosage and duration of drug use (60.7%), time to take drugs in relation to meal times (38.6%). Contraindications, adverse drug reactions and drug interactions were rarely advised (12.1%). In about one-fifth of cases, pharmacists asked questions to confirm patient’s comprehension and summarized important points of drug use for patients. One-fifth of cases were advised to consult with physicians. In term of pharmacists’ qualification, 41.1% cases were counseled by pharmacists with a-5-year bachelor degree and 45.4% were advised by college pharmacists with a--year degree. Regarding to the time for counseling, 69.5% lasted less than 3 minutes, 29.9% were with duration of 3 - 5 minute, and only 0.6% lasted more than 5 minutes.

CONCLUSIONS:

Drug counseling activities in community pharmacies were still limited in term of quantity and quality of interactions between pharmacists and patients. Further continuous training programs for community pharmacists on drug counseling are needed.