Patient education: Altruism behind compliance

Abstract

Patient education ensures that health care team is working together on patient’s individual medication plan, in conjunction with the rest of treatment is vital to their recovery. Medication management is part of every patient’s plan of care. On an initial visit a clinician completes a comprehensive medication reconciliation. However, education is provided to every patient based on each medication the patient is prescribed. This includes its purpose, how and when to take it and how much of the medication to take. Medication reconciliation ensures that every possible side effect and interaction will be taken care that patient’s medications could possibly cause. Patients and caregivers are instructed symptoms that need to be reported to the physician based on the medication side effects and possible interactions with other medications/food.