Patients want more information and active participation in medical decisions. Information and active participation correlate with increased adherence. A conversation guide, combining patient-relevant drug information with steps of shared decision-making, was developed to support physicians in effective and efficient prescription talks. Six GP trainees in community-based primary care practices participated in a controlled pilot study in sequential pre-post design. Initially, they conducted 41 prescription talks as usual, i.e., without knowing the guide. Then, they conducted 23 talks considering the guide (post-intervention phase). Immediately after the respective talk, patients filled in a questionnaire on satisfaction with the information on medication and physician–patient interaction, and physicians about their satisfaction with the talk and the application of the guide. Patients felt better informed after guide-based prescription talks (e.g., SIMS-D in median 10 vs. 17, p < 0.05), more actively involved (KPF-A for patient activation 2.9 ± 0.8 vs. 3.6 ± 0.8, p < 0.05), and more satisfied with the physician–patient interaction. Physicians rated the guide helpful and feasible. Their satisfaction with the conversation was significantly enhanced during the post-intervention phase. The evaluation of the duration of the talk was not influenced. Enhanced patients’ and physicians’ satisfaction with prescription talks encourages further examinations of the conversation guide. We invite physicians to try our guide in everyday medical practice.

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Although doctor-patient communication is essential for drug prescription, the literature reveals deficits in this area. An educational approach at the Cologne medical faculty aims at identifying and addressing those deficits in medical students.Fifth-year medical students first conducted a simulated prescription talk spontaneously. Subsequently, the conversation was discussed with peer students. A pharmacist moderated the discussion based upon a previously developed conversation guide. Afterwards, the same student had the conversation again, but as if for the first time. Conversations were video-recorded, transcribed and subjected to quantitative content analysis. Four days after the simulation, the students who conducted the talk, those who observed and discussed it, and students who did neither, completed a written test that focused on the content of an effective prescription talk.Content analysis revealed clear deficits in spontaneously led prescription talks. Even essential information as on adverse drug reactions were often lacking. Prescription talks became clearly more informative and comprehensive after the short, guided peer discussion. With regard to a comprehensive, informative prescription talk, the written test showed that both the students who conducted the talk and those who only observed it performed clearly better than the students who did not participate in the educational approach.Deficits regarding prescription talks are present in 5th year medical students. We provide an approach to both identify and address these deficits. It thus may be an example for training medical students in simulated and clinical environments like the EACPT recommended to improve pharmacology education.