We designed the survey on medication counseling practices of hospital pharmacies throughout the nation in order to find out the guideline information that can be used for providing better qualified medication counseling services to the patients. This survey showed that the number of medication counseling service room rises up year since 1994. Twenty five percent (25%, n=14) of the total hospitals surveyed operate satellite medication counseling service room. Forty four percent (44%, n=24) operate open medication counseling corner (desk). App. thirty percent (30%, n=17) replied no intention to operate either of them. We can figure by the result of the survey that medication counseling services are improving in most hospital pharmacies. However, the service from the medication counseling corner is thought to be less effective than that from the medication counseling room. The pharmacists at the counseling corner have to be engaged in the medication counseling service itself as well as other activities such as drug information service, dispensing or double checking of medication. Consequently, the service is likely to be passive at the counseling corner.
In order for the service to be active and more effective, such prerequsite conditions are essential as follows;
1. sufficient number of medication counseling pharmacists
2. satellite medication counseling room
3. a professional education program for the medication counseling pharmacists
With these arrangements, the more qualified and systematic medication counseling practices can be established for better services to the patients.
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