Changing Patient Perceptions of MTM: Determining an Effective Method of Education

Background:  Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a vital resource in reducing medication nonadherence, yet many individuals who are eligible for MTM services are unaware of what MTM is and how to enroll.  Little is known about how to best educate patients on MTM services and its benefits. Objective: To determine the difference between in-person education community education versus brochure community education on MTM services on perceptions of and enrollment in MTM services. Methods:  A pre-post quasi experimental study, where patients were allocated to receive information about MTM through an educational brochure or an in-person education session and completed survey assessments pre- and post-intervention, was conducted at a federally-qualified health center.  Patients who were ages 18 years or older, MTM-eligible, and had received no prior MTM service were eligible to participate.  Changes in patient perceptions of and enrollment in MTM from pre- to post-intervention were assessed by survey instruments developed for this study. Results: A total of 35 patients (brochure=25, in-person=10) were recruited for this study.  Most participants (94.2%) either reported having never heard of MTM or not being sure if they had heard of MTM. There were no significant between-group differences on pre-survey questions or pre-post within-group changes (p>0.05). There were significant between-group differences on 11 post-assessment questions and MTM enrollment (p<0.05), with the in-person education group showing improved perceptions and greater enrollment. Conclusion: Patients remain largely unaware of MTM services; there is a need for education to increase awareness. Even though educating patients in a face-to-face context had a more positive impact on perceptions of MTM and enrollment in MTM, more research is needed regarding the best educational methods as it was difficult for patients to find time to attend an educational session.   Type: Student Project&nbsp

Moving the needle—what does RSAP look for and what does it aim to do?

Peer reviewe

A Simulation Activity to Assess Student Pharmacists\u27 Knowledge and Perceptions of Oncology Pharmacy

Objective. To assess the impact of an interactive activity on student pharmacists’ confidence in answering oncology-related questions and their perceptions of an oncology pharmacists’ roles in practice. Methods. Two cohorts (2016 and 2017) of third-year student pharmacists completed a two-hour, interactive, four-station activity during the fourth week of an oncology module. Each station simulated a different oncology-related scenario that represented a specific practice settings. Pre- and post-activity surveys were administered to determine changes in students’ confidence levels and perceptions. Results. Over the two years, 66 student pharmacists completed the pre- and post-activity survey instruments. In both cohorts, there was a significant increase in scores on all items regarding students’ confidence. Student pharmacists’ perceptions of pharmacists\u27 roles also improved significantly. Conclusion. The simulation activity was effective as confirmed by improvement in student pharmacists’ post-activity scores on confidence and perception. Determining student pharmacists’ comfort in responding to oncology scenarios is important to prepare them for practice in any setting

Fostering Interdisciplinary Communication Between Pharmacy and Nursing Students

Objective. To evaluate pharmacy and nursing student self-perceptions of interdisciplinary communication skills, faculty member perceptions of interdisciplinary communication skills, and changes in those skills after increasing the interdisciplinary education content. Design. Two cohorts of pharmacy and nursing (bachelors of science in nursing, BSN) students in respective, semester-long research courses engaged in active learning on interdisciplinary communication, with the second cohort receiving additional content on the topic. At semester completion, students presented a research project at an interdisciplinary poster session. Assessment. Self-, peer-, and faculty evaluations (4 items; 5-point Likert-type) assessing self-confidence and actual interdisciplinary communication skills were completed during the poster session. Overall, students responded they were “very confident” or “extremely confident” regarding the skills, with greater confidence reported by the second cohort. Faculty members agreed that students exhibited effective interdisciplinary communication skills, with stronger agreement for the second cohort. Conclusion. Including interdisciplinary education and experiences in a curriculum increases students’ interdisciplinary communication skills. Using multiple interdisciplinary experiences may result in greater increases in these skills

Impact of an Aging Simulation Game on Pharmacy Students’ Empathy for Older Adults

Objective. To evaluate changes in empathy and perceptions as well as game experiences among student pharmacists participating in an aging simulation game. Methods. First-year student pharmacists participated in an aging simulation game. Changes were measured pre/post-activity using the Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES) and Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professions Scale (JSE-HPS) for empathy and the Aging Simulation Experience Survey (ASES) for perceptions of older adults’ experiences and game experiences. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to determine changes. Results. One hundred fifty-six student pharmacists completed the instruments. Empathy using the KCES and JSE-HPS improved significantly. Of the 13 items in the ASES, 9 significantly improved. Conclusion. Simulation games may help students overcome challenges demonstrating empathy and positive attitudes toward elderly patients. Read More: http://www.ajpe.org/doi/abs/10.5688/ajpe7956