What role does motivational interviewing play in MTM?

Motivational interviewing is a patient-centered counseling approach that is particularly effective in engaging individuals in their own healthcare, especially regarding medication management. In the context of Medication Therapy Management (MTM), this technique helps pharmacists foster open communication with patients, encouraging them to express their thoughts, feelings, and motivations regarding their medication use. By collaborating with patients in this way, pharmacists can help them set achievable goals, enhance their adherence to prescribed therapies, and ultimately improve health outcomes.

The strength of motivational interviewing lies in its ability to empower patients, making them feel more responsible and in control of their health decisions. This is essential in MTM, where the focus is on optimizing patient outcomes through effective medication use. By engaging patients in conversations about their beliefs and barriers to taking medications as prescribed, pharmacists can tailor interventions that address specific issues and strengthen the therapeutic alliance.

The other options do not accurately reflect the purpose of motivational interviewing. For instance, increasing patient waiting time or focusing solely on medication side effects would detract from the patient-focused approach, while minimizing patient interaction runs counter to the very essence of engagement that motivational interviewing promotes.