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Research in Social & Administrative... Jun 2009Spanish-speaking people represent more than 12% of the total population in the United States and are poised to become the largest minority group in the United States by... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Spanish-speaking people represent more than 12% of the total population in the United States and are poised to become the largest minority group in the United States by 2015. Although researchers have studied pharmacist-patient communication for approximately 30 years, little emphasis has been placed on the interactions between pharmacists and Spanish-speaking patients.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this review are (1) to describe empirical studies on Spanish-speaking patient/pharmacist communication examined relative to patient factors, pharmacist factors, and environmental factors that may influence Spanish-speaking patient/pharmacist communication and (2) to integrate medical and nursing literature to generate a research agenda for future study in this area.
METHODS
We compiled articles from a systematic review of (1) CINAHL, International Pharmacy Abstracts, PubMed, and Web of Knowledge databases using "Hispanic limited English proficiency," "Latino limited English proficiency," "language-assistance services," "Spanish-speaking patients," "Latino patients," "Spanish-speaking health literacy," "pharmacy health literacy," "patient-provider communication," "pharmacy language barriers," and (2) bibliographies of selected articles.
RESULTS
This search generated 1174 articles, 7 of which met the inclusion criteria. We categorized the results into 4 topic areas: "Spanish-speaking patient literacy," "pharmacists knowledge of/proficiency in the Spanish language," "pharmacy resources to overcome language barriers," and "pharmacists' attitudes toward communicating with Spanish-speaking patients."
CONCLUSIONS
These studies provide a macroscopic look at the linguistic services offered in pharmacies, gaps in services, and their subsequent impact on pharmacists and patients. Future research should investigate Spanish-speaking patients' literacy issues, pharmacy staff language skills, factors that influence pharmacists' counseling, and language-assistance programs for pharmacists and patients. Furthermore, these studies need to be conducted in large Hispanic/Latino populated areas where positive service models are likely to be present. Addressing these issues will provide pharmacists and pharmacies with information to overcome language barriers and provide Spanish-speaking patients with quality care.
Topics: Communication Barriers; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Multilingualism; Patient Education as Topic; Pharmaceutical Services; Pharmacists; Professional-Patient Relations; Quality of Health Care; United States
PubMed: 19524859
DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2008.05.005 -
Journal of Primary Care & Community... 2020In Canada, pharmacists accessing electronic health records (EHR) and mailing medications to patients are relatively uncommon. We evaluated a pharmacy model implemented...
In Canada, pharmacists accessing electronic health records (EHR) and mailing medications to patients are relatively uncommon. We evaluated a pharmacy model implemented in a clinical trial that combined allowing the pharmacist access to patients' EHR and mailing medications to participants. We conducted thematic analysis of comments made by participants and prescribers, and chart stimulated recalls with the pharmacist involved with the novel pharmacy model implemented in a clinical trial. Major themes from participant's comments related to the ease of obtaining information about medications from the pharmacy and satisfaction with the delivery. Prescribers felt that this model facilitated collaboration with the pharmacist and welcomed suggestions regarding therapeutic medication changes. Major themes from the pharmacist's chart stimulated recalls were that access to participants' EHRs allowed for improved drug therapy management and participant experience, and this pharmacy model increased participant's access to pharmacy services. According to the pharmacist and prescribers, this pharmacy model facilitated their collaboration in prescribing appropriate medications and participants were generally satisfied with the delivery of medications. Participants and prescribers were generally supportive of a pharmacy model that combined allowing the pharmacist access to participants' EHR and medication mailing. This allowed the pharmacist more opportunities for drug therapy management and collaboration with prescribers. It also improved the participant's access to pharmacy services, although those services were not always fully utilized.
Topics: Canada; Humans; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Pharmaceutical Services; Pharmacists; Pharmacy
PubMed: 32450757
DOI: 10.1177/2150132720923938 -
Ciencia & Saude Coletiva 2019The objective is to analyze the insertion of the pharmacists work in primary health care in Brazil. The search was performed on BVS, SciELO, Lilacs e Medline databases... (Review)
Review
The objective is to analyze the insertion of the pharmacists work in primary health care in Brazil. The search was performed on BVS, SciELO, Lilacs e Medline databases from 1998 to 2016. From the 157 articles found, excluding the duplicates, theses, dissertations and reviews, after the complete reading the review included 9 articles dealing with the pharmacist's work describing experiences, attributions, potentialities, difficulties and challenges. Results show incipient production and predominance of qualitative studies starting in 2007. The insertion in the team is the central topic of the studies, pointing out the challenges and the difficulties related to the recognition and acceptance of the pharmacists interventions. The potentialities reside in the area of actions directed to the client, the families and the team, as well as in the professional training field as well as in the dissemination of the results of the pharmaceutical actions. The pharmacists' isolation in the primary care prevails, albeit there are perspectives of strengthening the integration in the team that has been stimulated by the recent institutional and regulatory transformations in the national scenario. Beyond the present difficulties and experiences reported, the researchers focus on the potentialities for the professional practice, glancing at the construction of the future.
Topics: Brazil; Humans; Patient Care Team; Pharmaceutical Services; Pharmacists; Primary Health Care; Professional Role
PubMed: 31577002
DOI: 10.1590/1413-812320182410.30772017 -
Journal of Pharmacy Practice Aug 2017Heart failure is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality, resulting in substantial health-care costs. Clinical pharmacists have an opportunity to... (Review)
Review
Heart failure is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality, resulting in substantial health-care costs. Clinical pharmacists have an opportunity to reduce health-care costs and improve disease management as patients transition from inpatient to outpatient care by leading interventions to develop patient care plans, educate patients and clinicians, prevent adverse drug reactions, reconcile medications, monitor drug levels, and improve medication access and adherence. Through these methods, clinical pharmacists are able to reduce rates of hospitalization, readmission, and mortality. In addition, care by clinical pharmacists can improve dosing levels and adherence to guideline-directed therapies. A greater benefit in patient management occurs when clinical pharmacists collaborate with other members of the health-care team, emphasizing the importance of heart failure treatment by a multidisciplinary health-care team. Education is a key area in which clinical pharmacists can improve care of patients with heart failure and should not be limited to patients. Clinical pharmacists should provide education to all members of the health-care team and introduce them to new therapies that may further improve the management of heart failure. The objective of this review is to detail the numerous opportunities that clinical pharmacists have to improve the management of heart failure and reduce health-care costs as part of a multidisciplinary health-care team.
Topics: Health Care Costs; Heart Failure; Humans; Patient Transfer; Pharmacists; Professional Role; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 27129914
DOI: 10.1177/0897190016645435 -
Rural and Remote Health 2013As for many health professionals, distance presents an enormous challenge to pharmacists working in rural and remote Australia. Previous studies have identified issues...
INTRODUCTION
As for many health professionals, distance presents an enormous challenge to pharmacists working in rural and remote Australia. Previous studies have identified issues relating to the size of the rural and remote pharmacist workforce, and a number of national initiatives have been implemented to promote the recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural and remote locations. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the current rural and remote pharmacy workforce, and to identify barriers and drivers influencing rural and remote pharmacy practice.
METHODS
A mixed-methods approach was used, which comprised a qualitative national consultation and a quantitative rural and remote pharmacist workforce survey. Semi-structured interviews (n=83) and focus groups (n=15, 143 participants) were conducted throughout Australia in 2009 with stakeholders with an interest in rural and remote pharmacy, practising rural/remote pharmacists and pharmacy educators, and as well as with peak pharmacy organizations, to explore the issues associated with rural/remote practice. Based on the findings of the qualitative work a 45-item survey was developed to further explore the relevance of the issues identified in the qualitative consultation. All registered Australian pharmacists practising in non-urban locations (RRMA 3-7, n=3,300) were identified and invited to participate in the study, with a response rate of 23.4%.
RESULTS
The main themes identified from the qualitative consultation were the impact of national increases in the pharmacist workforce on rural/remote practice; the role of the regional pharmacy schools in contributing to the rural/remote workforce; and the perceptions of differences in pharmacist roles in rural/remote practice. The survey indicated that pharmacists practising in rural and remote locations were older than the national average (55.8 years versus 40 years). Differences in their professional role were seen in different pharmacy sectors, with hospital pharmacists spending significantly more time on the delivery of professional services and education and teaching, but less time on medication supply than community pharmacists. Rural/remote pharmacists were generally found to be satisfied with their current role. The main 'satisfiers' reported were task variety, customer appreciation, use of advanced skills, appropriate remuneration, happiness in their work location, sound relationships with other pharmacists, a happy team and relationships with other health professionals.
CONCLUSION
This study described the distribution, roles and factors affecting rural and remote pharmacy practice. While the results presented provide an extensive overview of the rural/remote workforce, a comparable national study comparing rural/remote and urban pharmacists would further contribute to this discussion. Knowledge on why pharmacists chose to work in a particular geographical location, or why pharmacists chose to leave a location would further enrich our knowledge on what drives and sustains the rural/remote pharmacist workforce.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Attitude of Health Personnel; Australia; Education, Pharmacy; Europe; Female; Focus Groups; Health Services Needs and Demand; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Middle Aged; Pharmacists; Professional Practice Location; Qualitative Research; Rural Health Services; Rural Population; Workforce
PubMed: 23683357
DOI: No ID Found -
BMC Health Services Research Sep 2012Community Pharmacists and General Practitioners (GPs) are increasingly being encouraged to adopt more collaborative approaches to health care delivery as collaboration...
BACKGROUND
Community Pharmacists and General Practitioners (GPs) are increasingly being encouraged to adopt more collaborative approaches to health care delivery as collaboration in primary care has been shown to be effective in improving patient outcomes. However, little is known about pharmacist attitudes towards collaborating with their GP counterparts and variables that influence this interprofessional collaboration. This study aims to develop and validate 1) an instrument to measure pharmacist attitudes towards collaboration with GPs and 2) a model that illustrates how pharmacist attitudes (and other variables) influence collaborative behaviour with GPs.
METHODS
A questionnaire containing the newly developed "Attitudes Towards Collaboration Instrument for Pharmacists" (ATCI-P) and a previously validated behavioural measure "Frequency of Interprofessional Collaboration Instrument for Pharmacists" (FICI-P) was administered to a sample of 1215 Australian pharmacists. The ATCI-P was developed based on existing literature and qualitative interviews with GPs and community pharmacists. Principal Component Analysis was used to assess the structure of the ATCI-P and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to assess the internal consistency of the instrument. Structural equation modelling was used to determine how pharmacist attitudes (as measured by the ATCI-P) and other variables, influence collaborative behaviour (as measured by the FICI-P).
RESULTS
Four hundred and ninety-two surveys were completed and returned for a response rate of 40%. Principal Component Analysis revealed the ATCI-P consisted of two factors: 'interactional determinants' and 'practitioner determinants', both with good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .90 and .93 respectively). The model demonstrated adequate fit (χ2/df = 1.89, CFI = .955, RMSEA = .062, 90% CI [.049-.074]) and illustrated that 'interactional determinants' was the strongest predictor of collaboration and was in turn influenced by 'practitioner determinants'. The extent of the pharmacist's contact with physicians during their pre-registration training was also found to be a significant predictor of collaboration (B = .23, SE = .43, p <.001).
CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study provide evidence for the validity of the ATCI-P in measuring pharmacist attitudes towards collaboration with GPs and support a model of collaboration, from the pharmacist's perspective, in which collaborative behaviour is influenced directly by 'interactional' and 'environmental determinants', and indirectly by 'practitioner determinants'.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Attitude of Health Personnel; Australia; Chi-Square Distribution; Cooperative Behavior; Female; General Practitioners; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Interviews as Topic; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Care Team; Pharmacists; Principal Component Analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 22978658
DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-12-320 -
Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the... 2016The pharmacist's role in home care is increasingly important. We are required to collaborate with multiple other professions. As home care pharmaceutical managers,... (Review)
Review
The pharmacist's role in home care is increasingly important. We are required to collaborate with multiple other professions. As home care pharmaceutical managers, pharmacists verify the timeline of side effects and the onset of expected effects. It is also important to verify all prescriptions from the pharmaceutical viewpoint, and to point out potential negative interactions or consequences of each prescribed medication, suggesting changes or dosage reduction in drugs as appropriate. Additionally, we verify the cause of unused drugs (i.e. patient non-compliance) and take action. As an effort to provide quality home care, pharmacists share information with other professions for collaborative management of a patient's needs. We act as a bridge between related government, agencies and citizens, assisting in creating a healthy lifestyle for the residents of our community. The days when pharmacists just sit in their pharmacies and dispense drugs are gone. Therefore, we need to collaborate more with medical, nursing care, and governmental professionals in our communities.
Topics: Community Pharmacy Services; Drug Information Services; Drug Interactions; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Heart Failure; Home Care Services; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Intersectoral Collaboration; Patient Care Management; Patient Care Team; Patient Compliance; Pharmacists; Professional Role; Quality of Health Care
PubMed: 27477732
DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.15-00271-6 -
American Journal of Pharmaceutical... Jun 2016Objective. To summarize student pharmacist leadership development opportunities delivered by pharmacy programs, to describe selected opportunities, and to assess how... (Review)
Review
Objective. To summarize student pharmacist leadership development opportunities delivered by pharmacy programs, to describe selected opportunities, and to assess how these opportunities meet leadership development competencies. Methods. A multi-method study was conducted that comprised a systematic content analysis of pharmacy education journals, pharmacy program websites, and telephone interviews with key informants, which included open-ended questions and scaled responses. Results. Review of six articles, 37 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting abstracts, and 138 websites resulted in the identification of 191 leadership development opportunities. These consisted of courses, projects/programs, and events/speaker series. Interviews with 12 key informants detailed unique events that developed leadership competencies. Formal assessments of student leadership development were limited and primarily focused on informal feedback and course evaluations. Conclusion. Most US pharmacy programs offer their students an array of opportunities to develop leadership abilities. Pharmacy programs should consider expanding opportunities beyond elective courses, learn from the successes of others to implement new leadership development opportunities, and bolster the assessment of student leadership competencies and outcomes.
Topics: Education, Pharmacy; Educational Measurement; Humans; Internet; Leadership; Pharmacists; Schools, Pharmacy; Students, Pharmacy; United States
PubMed: 27402982
DOI: 10.5688/ajpe80579 -
American Journal of Pharmaceutical... Sep 2010The United States is facing a public health workforce shortage and pharmacists have the opportunity and obligation to address this challenge in health care. There have... (Review)
Review
The United States is facing a public health workforce shortage and pharmacists have the opportunity and obligation to address this challenge in health care. There have been initiatives and supports from within and beyond the profession for the pharmacist's role in public health. This article identifies existing professional and educational initiatives for the pharmacist's expanded role in public health, as well as postgraduate and other advanced educational opportunities in public health. Recommendations also are provided on how to further engage pharmacists in public health activities to alleviate the public health workforce challenge.
Topics: Education, Graduate; Education, Pharmacy; Health Policy; Humans; Pharmacists; Professional Role; Public Health; United States; Workforce
PubMed: 21088727
DOI: 10.5688/aj7407122 -
International Journal of Clinical... Feb 2020Background Pharmacists in many developed countries have been granted prescribing authorities under what is known as "non-medical prescribing" or "pharmacist...
Background Pharmacists in many developed countries have been granted prescribing authorities under what is known as "non-medical prescribing" or "pharmacist prescribing". However, such prescribing privileges are not available in many developing countries. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the perspectives of future pharmacists (recent pharmacy graduates and pharmacy students) on pharmacist prescribing and its potential implementation in Qatar. Methods A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used: (1) a cross-sectional survey using a pre-tested questionnaire and; (2) focus group discussions to allow for an in-depth understanding of the issue, with a focus on pharmacists prescribing competencies as well as barriers for its implementation. Main outcome measures Future pharmacists' perspectives and attitudes towards pharmacist prescribing in Qatar. Results The majority of the respondents (94.4%) indicated awareness of the prescribing competency related to selecting treatment options. Furthermore, the majority (92.4%) believed that pharmacists should undergo prescribing training and accreditation before been legally allowed to prescribe, a point that was reiterated in the focus group discussions. Participants generally expressed support for collaborative and supplementary prescribing models when developing prescribing frameworks for Qatar. Four categories emerged under the theme barriers to implementation of pharmacist prescribing: lack of prescribing competency, pharmacist mindset, lack of accessibility to patient records and counseling rooms, and diversity of education and training background. Conclusion The majority of recent pharmacy graduates and students were in favor of pharmacist prescribing been implemented in Qatar. However, a special training program was deemed necessary to qualify pharmacists to prescribe safely and effectively.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Community Pharmacy Services; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Prescriptions; Education, Pharmacy; Female; Forecasting; Humans; Male; Pharmacists; Professional Role; Program Development; Qatar; Young Adult
PubMed: 31898166
DOI: 10.1007/s11096-019-00946-9