FILOSOFÍA

nonadherence. The public may not know the risks of such behavior and ways to improve medication adherence. Public relations can be as grand as state-wide public service

announcements and can be as small as a grassroots campaign adopted city by city. A great place to start is with the physicians and to educate them on ways to improve communications with their patients. Encourage physicians to ask patients at every office visit if they are taking their medications and if they have any questions or concerns regarding the prescribed treatment plan.

Top of mind awareness is key. Physicians or office staff can follow up with patients routinely to remind them of the importance of taking medications. If foreign language is a concern, a representative can meet at specific destinations to go over questions or concerns. Perhaps the public relations specialist could find a Chinese community center or a Spanish church to hold an informational seminar. For those who may be cognitively challenged, physicians could follow up with family members, caretakers or conservators to go over medications and the importance of taking them.

Pharmacists are a big part of the equation too. An open dialogue between pharmacists, physicians, and possibly pharmaceutical representatives could help distribute information and assist patients with printing information in a different language or helping patients financially through discounts or alternative medications. A physician’s group could sponsor a table at a health fair and be available for comment. Physicians can host a weekly column in the town paper to give information on various chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, or cholesterol and discuss the importance of the different medications as well as how certain medications work and why they are effective. Digital communication can reach the masses quickly through

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Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and email. There are endless possibilities on how public relations can encourage the public to take their medications. Creativity, consistency and creating a

personal touch will help get the message out more productively as well as making the information paramount.

Conclusion and Recommendations

In conclusion, based on the findings in the reviewed literature as well the results of the physicians’ questionnaires, transactional communication between physicians and patients is vital for a trusting relationship. Having an open dialogue regarding wants, needs, and concerns from both parties creates a better partnership. From that partnership and trust in the physician, the hope is that more people with adhere to their medication treatment plan. This study serves as an educational tool to assist journalists and physicians to communicate effectively.

Future recommendations for study would include having a larger group of participants attend the presentation. Ways to gain more participants would include: hosting several

presentations in several cities, giving physicians more notice when having a seminar, and giving incentives to attract more participants whether it is food, a raffle, or continuing education units (CEU). To compare and contrast data, it is also recommended that patients be given similar seminars with similar questionnaires. Since communication is two-way, having the perspectives of the physicians and their patients on how well messages are given and received would make for an intriguing study. Furthermore, studies of reactions of the same participants a year later on the topic of communication and medication adherence can evaluate if a grassroots endeavor like this made an impact. Medication nonadherence is a problem that needs to be addressed and is not going to go away overnight. Public relations is an amazing tool to get the word out and to help stop the epidemic from getting worse.

39 References

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Communication, 54, 645–661.

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43 Appendix A

51 Appendix B

POST PRESENTATION QUESTIONNAIRE

Thank you for attending today’s training on Patient-Physician Communication: Building a Better Relationship. Please take a moment to fill out this brief questionnaire and hand it in before you leave today. Analysis of your responses is a vital part of the senior project.

Presentation Date: September 2, 2016 Specialty: ___________________________

Please respond to the following questions by rating the statements on a scale from 1 to 5. (1= Disagree Strongly and 5 = Agree Strongly)

Information in this presentation was useful 1 2 3 4 5 Information was relevant to my practice 1 2 3 4 5 Presenter was skilled in the subject 1 2 3 4 5 Presentation was well structured 1 2 3 4 5 Following the presentation, I have a better understanding of

how to communicate better with my patients

1 2 3 4 5

As a result of the presentation, I have increased awareness of communication barriers

1 2 3 4 5

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I have time to address patients’ concerns and follow up on their specific care plans

1 2 3 4 5

I speak to my patients in an Adult-to-Adult manner 1 2 3 4 5 Communication with patients is as valuable as the medical

care they receive

1 2 3 4 5

Presentations like this are a good reminder 1 2 3 4 5

Which communication barriers do you experience in your practice? (Mark all that apply) o Foreign Language Spoken

o Race or Culture o Age o Medication Effects o Psychological/Emotional Status o Mental State o Gender Difference o Time Constraints o Illness

Which communication traps do you experience regularly? (Mark all that apply) o Using technical jargon when talking to patients

o Not being empathetic to patient’s concerns o Not pausing to listen to the patient

o Not verifying if patient understood information/instructions o Being impersonal or disengaged

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Would better communication make patients more compliant with their prescribed treatment plan? Y/N

During each visit, do you ask patients if they have been taking their medications as prescribed? Y/N

Do you think medication nonadherence is a problem with your patients? Y/N

Are you familiar with the new California law that enables patients to have their prescription instructions printed in one of five different languages? Y/N