Patient Perceptions of Pharmacy Students' Hypertension Compliance-Gaining Messages: Effects of Message Design Logic and Content Themes

Improved communication between health care providers and patients leads to improved patient satisfaction and other positive patient outcomes. Although most studies of patient satisfaction have focused on doctor-patient communication, the pharmacist's role in medication counseling has recently become more prominent In this study, we examine written messages produced by pharmacy students in response to a hypothetical hypertension compliance-gaining situation. Messages were coded for message design logic (O'Keefe, 1988) and subsequently evaluated by hypertension patients receiving treatment at a large, urban veterans' administration hospital. Message design logic had a significant effect on perceptions of message quality and effectiveness. To examine these differences in more detail, 11 content themes were identified in the messages. Theme elaboration was significantly correlated with patients' positive evaluations for three themes: (a) express understanding, (b) encourage communication with the physician, and (c) describe alternative therapies. Implications for pharmacist-patient communication are discussed.