Inquiry into the ideal function of the pharmacy in home care*

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to analyze why home‐care services provided by pharmacists have not been effectively utilized.Method: Questionnaires were submitted to home‐care service users, physicians, visiting nurses and home‐helpers and pharmacy directors. We studied whether gaps existed between users’ needs, physicians’ expectations of pharmacy services and pharmacists’ awareness of the importance of pharmacy services. We also investigated whether a failure to recognize the importance of cooperation with pharmacists in home‐care provision existed among physicians and nurses/home‐helpers.Results: Users and physicians expect pharmacists to be more involved in counseling about home care and welfare services than home‐visiting services. Pharmacists recognize home visiting services as being of greater importance than counseling about home care and welfare services. The results indicated that gaps existed between users’ needs, the physicians’ expectations and pharmacists’ awareness of the importance of pharmacy services. In terms of cooperation with pharmacists, study results implied that: (i) nurses/home‐helpers’ awareness of pharmacists’ home‐visiting service is lower than that of physicians; (ii) physicians’ expectations regarding pharmacists’ participation in home care services is lower than that of nurses/home‐helpers; (iii) over 70% of both groups recognize the necessity of pharmacists’ home‐visiting service.Conclusions: Pharmacists need to get more involved in counseling users about home care and welfare. Also, there should be a special focus on heightening nurses/home‐helpers’ awareness of pharmacists’ home‐visiting service and on raising physicians’ expectations for pharmacists’ participation in home care services to develop home‐care related pharmacy services in Japan.