Health Care Providers' Attitude and Satisfaction Toward Patient-Oriented Services Provided by Pharmacy Technicians at Three Faith-Based Hospitals.

Abstract

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians often work together to provide optimal pharmacy services, however, some low-middle-income countries lack strong regulatory mechanisms and have an inadequate number of pharmacists, necessitating some hospitals to rely on pharmacy technicians providing direct patient care services. This study sort to investigate health care providers' attitudes and satisfaction toward patient-oriented pharmacy services offered by pharmacy technicians at 3 faith-based hospitals in Cameroon. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2021. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 159 health care providers (HCPs) in 3 institutions of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services. The questionnaire was made up of 3 parts evaluating HCPs' attitudes and satisfaction. A total of 140 questionnaires were completed (88.1%) response rate. The majority of respondents were female (70%) and <35 years (60.7%). Almost all respondents showed a positive attitude toward pharmacy technicians' role in patient education (90%) and provision of medication information (93.6%). However, only 46% agreed that pharmacy technicians should take medication histories. The majority of respondents were satisfied with overall pharmacy services (80.7%). Only 25% were satisfied with pharmacy technicians' participation in ward rounds. Gender was associated with attitude of respondents (P = 0.02). Factors associated with satisfaction of respondents included profession (P = 0.047) and work experience (P = 0.008). Our results revealed a positive attitude and overall satisfaction with technician-led patient-oriented pharmacy services. Additional training, clear job descriptions, and direct pharmacist supervision could ensure the quality and safety of these services.