The role of electronic leaflets in improving access to medication-related information

Abstract

Background: Language discrepancies may create barriers to healthcare, compromise the quality of care and worsen health outcomes. This study explored what European countries currently do to ensure that foreign patients receive sufficient information about their medications if they do not understand the country’s national language. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to the delegates of two Council of Europe committees. The recipients were asked to provide insights on how their country facilitates access to the necessary product information when patients do not understand the national language. Results: Seventeen out of 39 delegates completed the questionnaire. The majority of the respondents indicated that all healthcare professionals experience difficulties in providing guidance and advice to foreign patients. The results also showed that different methods are used nationally to present the necessary information to foreigners. Finally, the observations from this survey suggested that electronic leaflets in the patient’s primary language could be a valuable option to improve access to medication-related information. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals seem to encounter challenges in providing foreign patients with information associated with medication use. Electronic leaflets can be one of the tools for improving communication between these patients and healthcare professionals to ensure that medicines are used safely and effectively.