The Attitude Survey of Medical Staff on the Participation of Community Pharmacists in the Palliative Home Care

Abstract

The treatment of cancer pain requires an individually-targeted multidimensional team approach. Further, the basic act for the Anti-Cancer Measures describes that medical staff including pharmacists should participate in the palliative care. Thus it is obvious that community pharmacists should also participate in palliative home care. In addition, a misunderstanding about opioids remains strong in Japan, which could be one of the barriers to palliative home care. In our previous report, we clarified for local residents the importance of educational activity using opioids as a new role for community pharmacists, and it was recognized of great significance by these pharmacists. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey among medical doctors, nurses, care managers and home helpers about the need and meaning of the educational activity performed by pharmacists in palliative home care. 86.4% of respondents felt pharmacists' participation in home care was required. Furthermore, most respondents thought that misunderstanding remained about opioids in palliative home care, and believed that pharmacists could play an important role in educational activity about opioids as experts in medicine. This study clarified that other medical team members need the participation of community pharmacists in palliative home care. Therefore, it seems important for these pharmacists to be proactive in participating in such care in the future.