Marcia Vervloet
Publicatie
Publication date
10-03-2026
Exploring the effect of training community pharmacy staff in mentalization-based communication on recognizing patients' drug related problems: an uncontrolled pre-post intervention study in Denmark and the Netherlands.
Loon, E. van, Crutzen, S., Jacobsen, R., Hedegaard, U., Vervloet, M., Schackmann, L., Dijk, L. van, Kaae, S., Taxis, K. Exploring the effect of training community pharmacy staff in mentalization-based communication on recognizing patients' drug related problems: an uncontrolled pre-post intervention study in Denmark and the Netherlands. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy: 2026. 22, art. nr. 100731.
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Objective
To explore the effect of a comprehensive mentalizing education programme on pharmacy staff's ability to recognize drug related problems (DRPs) during counter conversations in community pharmacies.
Methods
A multicentre, uncontrolled pre-post-intervention study was conducted in Danish and Dutch pharmacies. Over four months, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians completed a parttime mentalizing education programme. Participants documented all DRPs they recognized during six hours of counter conversations before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using mixed multilevel logistic regression, including a post-hoc comparison between countries.
Results
Forty-one participants from twenty pharmacies registered 2507 conversations. The overall increase of recognized DRP frequency from 17.5% to 22.1% was not significant (p = 0.086). Post-hoc analysis showed a significant increase in the Netherlands (10.6%, p = 0.04). Recognized DRP-categories ‘compliance’, ‘monitoring’, and ‘education or information’ increased, while ‘drug selection’, ‘over/under dose’, and ‘toxicity/adverse drug event’ decreased. The category ‘undertreated’ decreased in Denmark, but increased in the Netherlands. In Denmark, referrals to other healthcare providers dropped from 44.8% to 21.4%.
Conclusion
The mentalizing education programme shows promise to support pharmacy staff in recognizing and addressing DRPs, possibly through improved patient-centered communication.
To explore the effect of a comprehensive mentalizing education programme on pharmacy staff's ability to recognize drug related problems (DRPs) during counter conversations in community pharmacies.
Methods
A multicentre, uncontrolled pre-post-intervention study was conducted in Danish and Dutch pharmacies. Over four months, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians completed a parttime mentalizing education programme. Participants documented all DRPs they recognized during six hours of counter conversations before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using mixed multilevel logistic regression, including a post-hoc comparison between countries.
Results
Forty-one participants from twenty pharmacies registered 2507 conversations. The overall increase of recognized DRP frequency from 17.5% to 22.1% was not significant (p = 0.086). Post-hoc analysis showed a significant increase in the Netherlands (10.6%, p = 0.04). Recognized DRP-categories ‘compliance’, ‘monitoring’, and ‘education or information’ increased, while ‘drug selection’, ‘over/under dose’, and ‘toxicity/adverse drug event’ decreased. The category ‘undertreated’ decreased in Denmark, but increased in the Netherlands. In Denmark, referrals to other healthcare providers dropped from 44.8% to 21.4%.
Conclusion
The mentalizing education programme shows promise to support pharmacy staff in recognizing and addressing DRPs, possibly through improved patient-centered communication.
Objective
To explore the effect of a comprehensive mentalizing education programme on pharmacy staff's ability to recognize drug related problems (DRPs) during counter conversations in community pharmacies.
Methods
A multicentre, uncontrolled pre-post-intervention study was conducted in Danish and Dutch pharmacies. Over four months, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians completed a parttime mentalizing education programme. Participants documented all DRPs they recognized during six hours of counter conversations before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using mixed multilevel logistic regression, including a post-hoc comparison between countries.
Results
Forty-one participants from twenty pharmacies registered 2507 conversations. The overall increase of recognized DRP frequency from 17.5% to 22.1% was not significant (p = 0.086). Post-hoc analysis showed a significant increase in the Netherlands (10.6%, p = 0.04). Recognized DRP-categories ‘compliance’, ‘monitoring’, and ‘education or information’ increased, while ‘drug selection’, ‘over/under dose’, and ‘toxicity/adverse drug event’ decreased. The category ‘undertreated’ decreased in Denmark, but increased in the Netherlands. In Denmark, referrals to other healthcare providers dropped from 44.8% to 21.4%.
Conclusion
The mentalizing education programme shows promise to support pharmacy staff in recognizing and addressing DRPs, possibly through improved patient-centered communication.
To explore the effect of a comprehensive mentalizing education programme on pharmacy staff's ability to recognize drug related problems (DRPs) during counter conversations in community pharmacies.
Methods
A multicentre, uncontrolled pre-post-intervention study was conducted in Danish and Dutch pharmacies. Over four months, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians completed a parttime mentalizing education programme. Participants documented all DRPs they recognized during six hours of counter conversations before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using mixed multilevel logistic regression, including a post-hoc comparison between countries.
Results
Forty-one participants from twenty pharmacies registered 2507 conversations. The overall increase of recognized DRP frequency from 17.5% to 22.1% was not significant (p = 0.086). Post-hoc analysis showed a significant increase in the Netherlands (10.6%, p = 0.04). Recognized DRP-categories ‘compliance’, ‘monitoring’, and ‘education or information’ increased, while ‘drug selection’, ‘over/under dose’, and ‘toxicity/adverse drug event’ decreased. The category ‘undertreated’ decreased in Denmark, but increased in the Netherlands. In Denmark, referrals to other healthcare providers dropped from 44.8% to 21.4%.
Conclusion
The mentalizing education programme shows promise to support pharmacy staff in recognizing and addressing DRPs, possibly through improved patient-centered communication.