Intervention Interview Schedule Template printable pdf download

New Medicine Service

Intervention Interview Schedule

Have you had the chance to start taking your new medicine yet?

If the patient has not started taking the medicine then explore the reasons for this by moving to the non

adherence issues below. The pharmacist can then go back and address other reasons / concerns / need for

information at the end of the interview. Don’t miss this question out – if you start with question 2 you pre-

suppose that the patient has started to take the new medicine; if that is not the case the patient may feel

obliged to ‘play along’.

How are you getting on with it?

This is an open question to get the patient talking and bringing out any issues which are important to

them. These can be dealt with here rather than waiting until the appropriate question below.

Are you having any problems with your new medicine, or concerns about

taking it?

Do you think it is working? (Prompt: is this different from what you were

expecting?)

This gives a chance to discuss that some patients will not feel any different if some of these drugs are

working.

Do they know what it is for?

It would be useful to say a little about how the drug works. Some patients may feel happier and more

content to take the medicine if they have a rational explanation of how the drug helps their condition.

Do you think you are getting any side effects or unexpected effects?

If the patient feels different it may lead them to change their behaviour, even though it is not a side

effect of the drug. This may also be an opportunity to fill in a Yellow Card.

This is an opportunity to discuss whether side effects are likely to be transitory and what can be done to

minimise them. If severe, the pharmacist could suggest a return to the prescriber and possibly cessation

of the drug.

This could also alert to serious side effects that may occur and would involve an immediate need to take

action.

People often miss taking doses of their medicines, for a wide range of

reasons. Have you missed any doses of your new medicine, or changed

when you take it? (Prompt: when did you last miss a dose?)

This question may be a bit challenging so is further down the interview schedule – however on the other

hand it may not need to be asked as the issues may already have emerged. It is necessary to explore the

reason(s) why this has happened. Was it intentional or not? Was it appropriate (e.g. missing a morning

dose of a diuretic because they had a long bus journey)?

Does the patient understand why the medicine is necessary? The pharmacist will work to solve the issue if

there is one to be solved.

Do you have anything else you would like to know about your new

medicine or is there anything you would like me to go over again?

Intervention Interview Schedule Template