How to Counsel OTCs

Question 1

How important is body position in the OTC aisle?

Answer 1

positioning is something subtle but still think about it
just make sure the patient knows you are interested

Question 2

What is our desired outcome with OTC counselling?

Answer 2

to be the best OTC counselors on the planet

Question 3

True or false: what you say is more important than how you say it

Answer 3

false
content and process are equally important

Question 4

What are the two main skills we need as OTC counselors?

Answer 4

drug knowledge and interactive skills

Question 5

What is a question you should always ask when OTC counseling?

Answer 5

what have you tried so far?

Question 6

What are the three typical ways that a patient will initiate an OTC encounter?

Answer 6

describing a symptom
request a product
ask a specific question

Question 7

What are the steps in OTC counseling?

Answer 7

1. who is the patient
2. seen a doctor?
3. assess symptoms
4. develop a tentative course of action
5. inquire about health status
6. state your recommendation
7. provide info on proper use

Question 8

What does the SCHOLAR acronym stand for

Answer 8

Symptoms
Characteristics
History
Onset
Location
Aggravating factors
Remitting factors

Question 9

What is an example of a situation where you dont have to ask who the patient is in OTC counselling?

Answer 9

“I have x, what will help?”

Question 10

If a patient states that they have seen a physician for their problem, what should we do?

Answer 10

PROBE
how long ago was consultation and what was recommended (if anything)

Question 11

How can time be saved by asking a patient if they have seen a doctor?

Answer 11

can save a consult from getting deep, especially if the patient was sent to pick out a product the doctor recommended

Question 12

What is a possible consequence with raising the issue of MD contact?

Answer 12

unwarranted seriousness to the encounter

Question 13

When discussing symptoms, what type of question should we start with?

Answer 13

open-ended questions and then move to close-ended questions
tell me more about x….

Question 14

True or false: when you get asked for OTC help, you should move to the OTC product section

Answer 14

true
this can help you gather your thoughts

Question 15

True or false: it is better to ask generic questions than condition-specific ones

Answer 15

false
it is better to ask condition-specific questions

Question 16

What is differential diagnosis?

Answer 16

the process of taking information and deciding what the most likely cause is

Question 17

Why is step 4 deemed as tentative?

Answer 17

the possible course of action has not been verbalized yet to the patient

Question 18

What is the general goal of step 4?

Answer 18

the pharmacist should have a good idea of what they are likely to recommend (this also depends on step 5)

Question 19

What is the consensus on touch?

Answer 19

its either in your system or its not
if its not natural, it comes off as creepy

Question 20

How does a tentative course of action set up the stage for step 5?

Answer 20

it sets the stage for most focused questioning

Question 21

What are some important things to ask when assessing the patients health status?

Answer 21

on any other medications?
any other conditions to consider?

Question 22

True or false: it is okay to start off an OTC counsel by asking about allergies, other medication use, etc

Answer 22

false (wait until step 5)

Question 23

Is it sufficient to stop when you have asked an elder “are you in good health?” and they say “yes”?

Answer 23

no
probe with elders

Question 24

What are the 4 forms of recommendation?

Answer 24

re-assurance (wait and see0
non-drug measure
OTC medication
MD referral

Question 25

If you have 45 seconds, what is more important, getting the right drug or how to use the drug?

Answer 25

getting the right drug

Question 26

How many side effects should you mention?

Answer 26

explain 2-3 well rather than doing 6 poorly

Question 27

What are pieces of info to provide in step 7?

Answer 27

how much to apply/how many to take
use for how long
what to expect
what to do if treatment fails

Question 28

Who should hold the package in the OTC aisle and why?

Answer 28

the patient
it takes the pressure away from you

Question 29

When should we refer the patient to an MD?

Answer 29

symptoms are severe
symptoms are persisting
young/elderly

Question 30

What are the main things we want to identify when assessing?

Answer 30

symptoms, severity, duration
what has been tried so far

Question 31

Is the following an open or close ended question: you said you have heartburn. When and how bad?

Answer 31

close ended

Question 32

What are some nuances to be aware of when assessing symptoms?

Answer 32

the use of open and close ended questions
assess the patients choice of wording
watch for non-verbal information

Question 33

A middle aged man comes in asking for your help in the OTC aisle. What are the questions you should ask when you reach step 5?

Answer 33

are you in good health?
on any other medication?