Pharmacists Can Improve Insulin Management Through Counseling

Pharmacists play a critical role in ensuring patients use insulin safely and effectively. While in-person counseling is important, patients often forget much of what’s discussed by the time they get home. Providing printed educational materials from insulin manufacturers can help reinforce key information and improve recall.

Timing is a common source of confusion. Mealtime insulin must be taken close to eating, ranging from 30 minutes before to just after the meal, depending on the product. Simple techniques, such as color-coding or clearly labeling insulin pens and vials with a marker can help patients remember which insulin to use and when. Basal insulin should be taken consistently at the same time each day.

Pharmacists should also provide guidance on OTC insulins like neutral protamine Hagedorn(NPH) and regular insulin, which are still used in certain situations. It’s important to counsel patients that NPH is a suspension and must be rolled gently between the hands to ensure proper dosing.

In addition to education, pharmacists should routinely ask patients about blood glucose patterns, how often they experience low readings, and how they respond to them. These check-ins can reveal issues with timing, dose, technique, or awareness of hypoglycemia symptoms. Asking questions like “What was your blood sugar today?” can lead to valuable clinical insights. With regular, proactive engagement, pharmacists can help patients stay informed, safe, and confident in managing their insulin therapy.

Drug Topics® recently sat down with Susan Cornell, PharmD, CDCES, FAPhA, FADCES, experiential education specialist and professor emeritus at Midwestern University, to discuss how pharmacists can explain insulin timing and mealtime coordination in a way that patients can easily understand and remember, and the common concerns around hypoglycemia.

READ MORE: Insulin Management Resource Center

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