Improving pharmacist-patient communications based on King's theory of goal attainment: Study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Introduction: Previous studies revealed widespread poor communications between pharmacists and patients in various settings. But little is known about how pharmacists communicate with patients and its impact on patient outcomes. King's theory of goal attainment (TGA) describes the dynamic interpersonal interactions in which a patient develops and attains certain goals. This study aims to: (i) test the TGA model in the interface between pharmacists and patients; and (ii) evaluate the effects of TGA-guided interventions.

Methods: The study will be conducted in 30 community pharmacies recruited from three cities in China's Hubei province. It will start with a baseline cross-sectional survey on 640 patients to test the hypothesized TGA model in community pharmacies. An intervention program will then be developed based on the TGA model and will be evaluated in a matched-pair cluster randomized trial. The participating pharmacies will be pair-matched and randomly allocated to an intervention group and a control group. Pharmacists in the intervention group will receive three sessions of training in line with the TGA model over one year, compared with a pharmaceutical training program in the control group without a communication component. A double-blind procedure will apply. Changes in patient experience in communications and pharmaceutical care will be analyzed. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (IORG: IORG 0003571).

Trial registration: ChiCTR1800014679.

Keywords: China; Cluster randomized trial; Patient communication; Pharmacy; Study protocol; Theory of goal attainment.