When Communication Becomes the Clinical Challenge

An elderly patient came to the pharmacy to collect his prescription, but there was a communication issue because he spoke only Arabic while the front-desk clinic staff spoke English. He was told that his prescription would be ready later in the day, even though he lived outside the city. My pharmacist had to go to the clinic to clarify the miscommunication and then approach the patient calmly to explain the situation. The pharmacist used techniques such as speaking calmly and respectfully, using simple and clear language, acknowledging the patient’s frustration, apologizing for the misunderstanding, and explaining the expected waiting time without blaming the clinic staff. The pharmacist also checked that the patient understood the situation and reassured him that his prescription was being followed up. This helped prevent further frustration and avoid the situation escalating into a scene.