Objective: To familiarize pharmacists with motivational interviewing as a way to engage patients in discussions about medication adherence.
Summary: Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, patient-centered communications skill set that can increase behavior change by stimulating a patient's own internal motivation for change. Pharmacists using motivational interviewing can explore factors associated with medication nonadherence, assess patient ambivalence and/or resistance, and educate a patient to promote medication-adherent behaviors.
Conclusion: Pharmacists can use motivational interviewing to effectively engage patients in a conversation that addresses medication adherence.