OBJECTIVE： To provide reference for the improvement of Chinese patent medicine instruction. METHODS： The outpatients were selected randomly from a Third Grade Class A hospital. A questionnaire survey was conducted on the attention degree of the outpatients to Chinese patent medicine instructions when taking medicine orally. The concern content label of patients in 221 Chinese patent medicine instructions were counted， analyzed and graded according to survey results. RESULTS： A total of 515 questionnaires were distributed， and 498 effective questionnaires were collected with effective recovery rate of 96.7％. The results of questionnaire survey showed that the highest concern from the patients was usage and dosage （92.4％）， followed by attentions and taboos （88.0％， 70.3％）. The following items were drug interaction， pregnant and lactating women medication， children medication and the elderly medication （56.2％， 46.4％， 45.2％， 42.4％）. Among the description of medication methods （usage and dosage） in 221 Chinese patent medicine instructions， 203 prescriptions clearly marked medication times （91.9％）， 160 clearly marked drug dosage （72.4％） and 36 clearly marked medication course （16.3％）. In matters of taboos （attentions， taboos， pregnant and lactating women medication， children medication and the elderly medication）， 124 prescriptions clearly marked population taboos （56.1％）， 82 clearly marked symptom taboos （37.1％） and 71 clearly marked diet taboos （32.1％）. According to the scoring statistics of 221 Chinese patent medicine instructions， there were 52 instructions with score of 6， followed by 47 instructions with score of 8； there were only 4 instructions with full score （12）. CONCLUSIONS： At present， related contents of medication methods highly concerned by the patients are well marked in Chinese patent medicine instructions， especially its guidance is basically able to meet the requirements in respect of medication times. The related contents of medication taboos， which is next only to attention degree of medication methods by patients， is poorly marked. Its guidance remains to be improved.