New Framework Standardizes Patient-Centered Medication Counseling

Researchers uncovered a detailed approach that standardizes patient-centered medication counseling, according to a study in Patient Preference and Adherence.¹ Consisting of 6 structural domains and 4 patient-centered operational features, they believe the new framework can be fully implemented in pharmacy practice for better medication adherence and patient outcomes.

“Patient counseling has always been considered as one of the effective measures to enhance medication adherence. Without proper counseling, patients may lack enough information about their medication, such as the complete dosage regimen, adverse effects, or how to manage a missed dose,” wrote the authors of a study in Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy.² “Lack of knowledge may affect medication adherence, resulting in therapeutic failure, adverse effects, additional expenditure on investigations and treatment, and even hospitalization. Patient counseling could be an effective intervention to improve knowledge, attitude, and pharmacotherapy outcomes.”

According to the current study, the 6 structural domains and 4 patient-centered operational features uncovered could be key to improving policy and professional guidelines in the medication management space.¹

READ MORE: Professional Experience, Social Engagement Shape Pharmacist Empathy

Those domains included patient identification and encounter framing, risk screening, information provision, understanding verification and engagement, adherence and self-management support, and documentation and referral or escalation. Further hitting on the importance of keeping patients at the center of care, the operational features were patient context elicitation and prioritization, tailored communication adaptation, interactive understanding verification, and adherence support practices.

As the authors of the study explained, the patient-centered features serve as “cross-cutting elements embedded within counseling processes.”¹

The Need for Standardization in Medication Counseling

Although the framework offers a clear path forward, real-world data shows just how badly standardization is needed. An additional study of outpatient pharmacy counseling practices highlighted a stark gap between what pharmacists believe they are delivering and what patients actually grasp.³

Despite nearly three-quarters of surveyed pharmacy professionals expressing satisfaction with their counseling, only 13% always explained the purpose of medications, and a mere 30% regularly discussed possible adverse effects or compliance. Consequently, more than half of the patients exited the pharmacy with insufficient knowledge about their prescribed regimens.

This performance gap is rarely due to a lack of professional desire. Rather, systemic barriers often stand in the way. Pharmacists frequently cite severe time constraints, with over half spending less than 2 minutes per patient because they are too busy with administrative tasks and manual dispensing.³

To address this, pioneering health care facilities are leveraging physical and technological redesigns. Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare successfully minimized counseling barriers by integrating robotic dispensing systems that automate up to 85% of package preparation, freeing pharmacists to focus on clinical care.²

They also replaced open-queue counters with individualized counseling cubicles, providing the auditory and visual privacy necessary for patients to feel comfortable sharing sensitive health information.

An Industry-Wide Shift to Patient-Centered Care

This shift toward privacy and personalized care aligns with the core philosophy of patient-centered care, which treats the patient as an active partner in their care journey rather than a passive recipient of instructions. True patient-centeredness means designing health care through the patient's eyes and understanding what they actually value.^4,5

This involves moving away from a unilateral focus on clinical disease toward a whole-person approach that addresses mental, emotional, and physical well-being. When clinical decisions respect patient preferences, the benefits extend beyond satisfaction; patients are empowered, adherence improves, and overall health care costs can fall as unnecessary procedures and hospitalizations are prevented.^2,5

At the pharmacy counter, this philosophy materializes through structured communication tools.

Instead of relying on passive agreement, the new framework prioritizes interactive understanding verification, which mirrors established practices like the teach-back method. Having a patient repeat their treatment plan is the most reliable way to ensure they comprehend how and why to take their medication.^1,4

As health care shifts from asking “What is the matter?” to “What matters to you?,” standardizing these interactive, behavior-driven counseling domains provides a clear blueprint for pharmacists. By operationalizing empathy and partnership at the point of dispensing, pharmacy systems can finally bridge the gap between clinical intent and real-world patient wellness.

“The proposed framework provides a structured basis for standardizing and implementing patient-centered medication counseling in clinical practice, while informing policy and professional guidelines,” concluded the authors of the current study.¹ “It also has potential applicability across diverse health care systems globally.”

READ MORE: Why Prescription Language is the Next Frontier of Patient Safety

REFERENCES

1. Lee S, Han E, Jung Y. Developing a structured framework for pharmacist-led prescription medication counselling: a scoping review integrating structural domains and patient-centered operational features. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2026 May 2;20:605582. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S605582

2. Thorakkattil SA, Parakkal SA, Arain S, et al. A patient-centered ambulatory care pharmacy design to abate the real-world patient counseling challenges. Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm. 2023;9:100248. doi:10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100248

3. Tadesse YB, Sendekie AK, Mekonnen BA, et al. Pharmacists' medication counseling practices and knowledge and satisfaction of patients with an outpatient hospital pharmacy service. Inquiry. 2023 Jan-Dec;60:469580231219457. doi: 10.1177/00469580231219457

4. Edgman-Levitan S, Schoenbaum SC. Patient-centered care: achieving higher quality by designing care through the patient's eyes. Isr J Health Policy Res. 2021 Mar 5;10(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s13584-021-00459-9

5. What is patient-centered care, and why is it important? Kansas Health Science University. May 20, 2024. Accessed August 10, 2026. https://www.kansashsu.org/blog/patient-centered-care-important/