MTM Patient-Centered Care & Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with limited English proficiency arrives for an MTM consultation. Which is the BEST approach to ensure effective communication?
- Speak slowly and use medical jargon to appear professional
- Use a qualified medical interpreter or language assistance service (Correct answer)
- Ask a family member who speaks some English to translate
- Reschedule the appointment until an interpreter is available another day
Correct answer: Use a qualified medical interpreter or language assistance service
Using a qualified medical interpreter ensures accurate communication and protects patient rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
Question 2: During an MTM session, a patient says, 'I don't really understand why I need to take all these medications.' What is the pharmacist's BEST response?
- Tell the patient their doctor prescribed them for good reasons
- Provide a written medication list and end the consultation
- Explore the patient's understanding and collaboratively explain each medication's purpose (Correct answer)
- Reduce the medication list immediately to improve adherence
Correct answer: Explore the patient's understanding and collaboratively explain each medication's purpose
Exploring the patient's understanding first and then providing tailored education promotes engagement and improves adherence.
Question 3: Which principle of motivational interviewing involves reflecting back what the patient has said to show understanding?
- Developing discrepancy
- Rolling with resistance
- Reflective listening (Correct answer)
- Supporting self-efficacy
Correct answer: Reflective listening
Reflective listening involves mirroring the patient's words to demonstrate understanding and encourage further dialogue.
Question 4: A pharmacist notices a patient nods 'yes' to all instructions but cannot demonstrate proper inhaler technique. This BEST illustrates a problem with:
- Patient non-compliance
- Health literacy and teach-back verification (Correct answer)
- Medication affordability barriers
- Cultural health beliefs
Correct answer: Health literacy and teach-back verification
Nodding without understanding indicates a health literacy gap; the teach-back method would have revealed this disconnect earlier.
Question 5: When setting medication-related goals with a patient, the MTM pharmacist should ensure goals are SMART. What does the 'A' in SMART stand for?
- Accurate
- Achievable (Correct answer)
- Automated
- Assessed
Correct answer: Achievable
In SMART goal-setting, 'A' stands for Achievable, meaning the goal must be realistic given the patient's circumstances.
Question 6: A patient discloses they stopped taking their antihypertensive because it causes them to wake up at night to urinate. How should the pharmacist FIRST respond?
- Immediately notify the prescriber to change the medication
- Acknowledge the patient's concern and ask how this is affecting their daily life (Correct answer)
- Remind the patient that blood pressure control is critical and they must continue
- Document the non-adherence and proceed to the next agenda item
Correct answer: Acknowledge the patient's concern and ask how this is affecting their daily life
Acknowledging the patient's concern using empathy before problem-solving builds trust and reveals the full impact on their quality of life.
Question 7: Which communication technique is MOST effective for closing a patient encounter and ensuring follow-through on action items?
- Summarizing key points and asking the patient to restate their action plan (Correct answer)
- Providing a printed pamphlet about their conditions
- Sending an automated reminder text message
- Having the patient sign a medication agreement form
Correct answer: Summarizing key points and asking the patient to restate their action plan
Summarizing and asking the patient to restate their action plan (teach-back) confirms understanding and increases follow-through.
MTM Patient-Centered Care & Communication 2
A patient with limited English proficiency arrives for an MTM consultation.
Which is the BEST approach to ensure effective communication?