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Guidance urges “show-and-tell” counseling to reduce medication dispensing and delivery errors
Summary
A presenter citing Board Rule 291.33 recommended that pharmacists use "show-and-tell" counseling—opening delivery bags and reviewing labeled containers—to boost medication adherence and provide a final opportunity to catch dispensing or delivery errors before patients receive prescriptions.
A presenter discussed Texas counseling requirements and promoted "show-and-tell" techniques to reduce medication errors.
Under Texas law, "patient counsel is required for each new prescription drug order dispensed or upon the request of a patient or patient's agent," the presenter said, citing the legal requirement as the basis for stronger counseling practices.
The presenter said "show-and-tell strategies in counseling can increase patient medication adherence" and provide "an opportunity to catch both dispensing and delivery errors." As an example, the presenter recommended opening the delivery bag to review the prescription container and its labeling so patients and pharmacists can visually confirm the medicine and directions before delivery.
Referencing Board Rule 291.33 for community pharmacies, the presenter listed factors to consider when choosing a counseling area: proximity to the checkout or cash register, the volume of pedestrian traffic nearby, and whether walls or other barriers separate the counseling area from other parts of the pharmacy. Those design elements, the presenter said, "can ensure adequate space and time for show-and-tell counseling."
The presenter also outlined specific counseling topics that may be covered under rule 291.33, including review of special directions; repetition of the drug's name, dosage and route of administration; storage and refill information; and actions patients may take in the event of a missed dose or an adverse effect.
The presenter framed show-and-tell as a complement to existing counseling practices and said it is "up to a pharmacist's professional judgment" what to emphasize in each encounter. The guidance emphasized that show-and-tell is an added tool to "optimize drug therapy and prevent error."
