Objectives. The patient medication counseling (PMC) services at Philippine General Hospital (PGH) started 21 years ago. While several changes have been incorporated into the program, no formal evaluation has been conducted to date. The objective of this evaluation was to assess the relevance, usefulness, responsiveness, acceptability, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the service using the context, input, process (CIPP) model of Stufflebeam.

Methods. The study utilized a mixed-methods study design. Interviews and surveys were conducted on pharmacist-counselors, a purposive sample of doctors, nurses, and other stakeholders. A review of records from the Department of Pharmacy of UP College of Pharmacy (UPCP) and PGH, such as patient and student satisfaction surveys and monthly reports of counseled patients served from 2015 to 2019, was conducted. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data.

Results. Context evaluation revealed that the establishment of PMC resulted from informal interactions with hospitalized patients due to incorrect use of prescription medicines. Correct information was envisioned to address the irresponsible use of medicines. The input evaluation revealed that only 24% (N=75) of the pharmacists are involved in PMC, which comprise only 10% of their workload. There was also a lack of comprehensive training for counseling and insufficient physical facilities. The process evaluation identified lack of time (94%) as a significant limiting factor for the involvement of pharmacists in PMC. The interns became an additional workforce for the service, but scheduling and the consistent availability of both students and faculty-preceptors were experienced. The product evaluation revealed positive perceptions among the pharmacists, faculty, and student interns. From the patient satisfaction survey records of 5,071 patients counseled, 98 to 100% expressed high service satisfaction, and 100% were likely to recommend PMC to other patients. The pharmacists, interns, and faculty-preceptors suggested that PMC improved their confidence, communication skills, and decision-making.

Conclusion. The PMC service is relevant and valuable to ensure patients' rational and quality use of medicines. As a value-added service to existing hospital pharmacy services, it serves as a venue for enhancing soft skills among pharmacists and students alike. However, physical and human resources and current processes need to be upgraded to improve efficiency, ensure sustainability, and expand service coverage to more patients.