Title: Obtain information from a patient/patient's representative, at the direction of the pharmacist.
Course: Pharmacy Technician II (14152-II) > Section: Assisting the Pharmacist in Serving Patients

Obtaining should include gathering information regarding

- the language preference of the patient
- communication barriers
- the diagnosis or desired therapeutic outcome
- medication use (e.g., aspirin, vitamins, acetaminophen, cough syrups)
- allergies (e.g., sulfur, penicillin)
- adverse reactions
- the medical history and relevant patient information
- physical disability
- the full name of the patient (for male patients, verify suffix [e.g., Jr., Sr., II])
- date of birth, address, and phone number
- the insurance type, including identification numbers and group numbers
- prescription completeness
- product inventory.

See ASHP 3.1.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What are situations in which the patient requires the attention of a pharmacist?
- Why is confidentiality important when obtaining patient information?
- What are techniques for detecting prescription errors?
- Why is it important to know if patients are taking over-the-counter (OTC) and/or herbal medications?
- Why are dispense-as-written (DAW) codes important?
- What information should be given to a patient on the first visit to a pharmacy?
- Who determines when to use a safety top or easy-open top?