Great Responsibility: Potential Legal Liability Associated with Patient Counseling

One of the most important additions to the pharmacist’s duties and workplace was the counseling requirement created by OBRA-90. Pharmacist knowledge and education were brought to the forefront of practice with this ability to teach and advise patients about their medications and devices. Pharmacists gather patient information, review past medication regimens, and then provide counseling that can greatly enhance compliance and patient understanding of the necessity of their therapy. Alternately, pharmacists must be aware that enhanced responsibilities come with concomitant liability; failure to counsel is the #2 basis for lawsuits against pharmacists.