CONNECT-6 is a structured, evidence-based medication counselling framework that operationalises Motivational Interviewing into a practical 6-step workflow — designed for pharmacists working in time-constrained clinical settings.
A short explainer on what CONNECT-6 is, why it was developed, and how it works in practice.
Despite strong international frameworks, pharmacists consistently struggle to deliver patient-centred counselling in real-world clinical settings.
Medication counselling was often directive and pharmacist-centric — "one-way communication" resembling parent-to-child instructions. Patients felt like passive receivers. Information was overwhelming. The gap between behavioural theory and daily practice remained wide, particularly in multilingual, time-constrained public-sector settings.
CONNECT-6 translates Motivational Interviewing and complementary behavioural models — including the Health Action Process Approach and Common Sense Model — into a structured, learnable 6-step consultation workflow. It was co-designed for Malaysian public-sector pharmacy environments and validated across hospital and health clinic settings.
Each step maps to established behavioural theory while remaining flexible enough to adapt to real patient needs. Steps CHECK, CLARIFY, and COACH can be revisited or reordered based on patient cues.
Create a safe psychological environment where the patient feels heard and respected — reducing defensiveness before clinical issues are addressed.
Diagnose whether non-adherence stems from beliefs, logistics, or knowledge gaps. Explore using the Belief Explorer and WHO 5 Dimensions of Adherence Barriers.
Educate based on the patient's identified needs using the Elicit–Provide–Elicit technique. Ask permission before providing targeted information.
Assess the patient's motivation (importance) and self-efficacy (confidence) using the Readiness Ruler and Confidence Check tools.
Co-create a specific, feasible plan the patient owns — not a directive instruction. Offer options, invite input, and strengthen commitment collaboratively.
Turn the plan into a concrete commitment. Summarise using SMART goals, elicit verbal commitment, reinforce self-efficacy, and arrange follow-up support.
A mixed-methods pre–post interventional study was conducted with 27 pharmacists across hospital and health clinic settings in Selangor, Malaysia.
Ethical approval: NMRR ID-25-01263-PYJ, Ministry of Health Malaysia. · Read the full paper → doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2026.03.008
Our downloadable tools and resources are currently being finalised for public release. Register your interest and we will notify you as soon as they are available.
A concise single-page summary of the CONNECT-6 framework, suitable for printing and display at pharmacy counters.
The validated binary checklist (27 items) used to evaluate pharmacist competency in patient-centred counselling performance.
Step-by-step guidance for trainers delivering CONNECT-6 workshops, including case studies and roleplay scenarios.
Interested in bringing CONNECT-6 training to your institution or professional society? Get in touch with the team to discuss formats and arrangements.
Training is offered to hospitals, health clinics, pharmacy schools, and professional societies. Get in touch to discuss how we can work together.
Send an EnquiryCONNECT-6 is actively seeking research and implementation partners to extend its reach and generate patient-level evidence.
Evaluate CONNECT-6 in community, rural, or specialist pharmacy settings — including MTAC and outpatient care contexts across different healthcare systems.
Assess the framework's impact on adherence rates, clinical indicators, and patient satisfaction over extended follow-up periods.
Explore how CONNECT-6 can be embedded in undergraduate, postgraduate, and CPD pharmacy programmes — with outcome measurement to guide national training standards.
Extend the framework to other healthcare systems and cultural contexts, particularly in Southeast Asia and other multilingual, resource-constrained settings.
CONNECT-6 is designed to grow. The following development is actively planned.
CONNECT-6 was built on the belief that every pharmacist — regardless of location or resources — should be able to deliver patient-centred counselling. To extend that mission further, a dedicated digital platform is in development that will allow pharmacists to train on CONNECT-6 independently, using AI-powered roleplay simulation, interactive scenario practice, and competency feedback — without needing a live facilitator.
In Development Register your interest →CONNECT-6 was developed and validated by a multidisciplinary team spanning clinical pharmacy, pharmacy education, and health psychology — across hospital, academic, and specialist settings in Malaysia.
Dr Fahmi Hassan is a pharmacist and clinical pharmacy researcher at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR), Klang. His PhD focuses on social and administrative pharmacy, with a sustained interest in medication counselling and healthcare service delivery research. He led the development and validation of the CONNECT-6 framework, bringing together a multidisciplinary team spanning clinical pharmacy, pharmacy education, and health psychology.
For training enquiries, research collaborations, and institutional partnerships, the team welcomes contact from interested individuals and institutions.
