Introduction Of Pharmaceutical Care Research Articles

Pharmaceutical care services available in Danish community pharmacies

In recent years, increased longevity of the Danish population has resulted in a growing segment with age-related and chronic health conditions. This, together with a general increase in the demand on the services of doctors, has augmented the role of pharmacies in the provision of healthcare services. In Denmark, a variety of pharmacy services has been developed, evaluated and implemented since the introduction of pharmaceutical care. The services are aimed at the person responsible for administering the medicine e.g. the patient themselves or care workers, thereby supporting medication safety. The services available have been developed, evaluated and implemented in collaboration between community pharmacies, the Danish Association of Pharmacies, the Danish College of Pharmacy Practice and international collaborators. In this commentary we present an overview of the availablepharmacy service, the contents of each service, remuneration and the scientific evidence behind each service. The commentary covers: Inhaler Technique Assessment Service; New Medicines Service; Medication Review; and Medication Safety in Residential Facilities.

Pharmacy Education in Trinidad and Tobago

As with many countries across the globe, professional pharmacy in Trinidad and Tobago is moving from a product orientated (dispensing medications) to patient centered practice. Such a transformation faces many challenges especially for a developing nation. To alter the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists, Trinidad and Tobago is beginning to enhance existing practice settings, first with upgrading its educational programs. The main change is the introduction of pharmaceutical care as the professional practice mode. The curriculum’s experiential training now includes increased focused on providing students with the new knowledge, skills, and abilities required for pharmaceutical care. Using national data and the most recent figures from the School of Pharmacy at the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Trinidad and Tobago Pharmacy Board, this assessment of its health care and its new pharmacy model notes the transformations being carried out in the pharmacy services, along with improvements in pharmacy education. Recommendations and barriers in the context of the Trinbagonian pharmacy health system is also provided.

English

As with many countries across the globe, professional pharmacy is moving from a product orientation (dispensing medications) to a focus on patient care in Cuba. Such transformations are very difficult, especially for developing nation.  To alter the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists, Cuba is beginning to enhance existing practice settings, first with revamping educational programs.  The main change is the introduction of pharmaceutical care as the professional practice mode. Pharmacy curriculum now has experiential training to provide students with the new knowledge, skills, and abilities required for pharmaceutical care. The Cuban health successes in raising the overall health status of the population have led it to become a model for other developing nations.  Using national data and the most recent figures from the Cuban National Institute of Statistics, this assessment of Cuban health care and its new pharmacy practice model notes the transformations being carried out in the pharmacy services, along with improvements in pharmacy education. An analysis of barriers in the context of the Cuban health system is provided.   Key words: Cuba, pharmaceutical care, health system, pharmacist.

外来がん化学療法における服薬指導業務の導入とその効果

外来がん化学療法における服薬指導業務の導入とその効果

Patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care delivery in community pharmacies

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to validate previously published satisfaction scales in larger and more diversified patient populations; to expand the number of community pharmacies represented; to test the robustness of satisfaction measures across a broader demographic spectrum and a variety of health conditions; to confirm the three-factor scale structure; to test the relationships between satisfaction and consultation practices involving pharmacists and pharmacy students; and to examine service gaps and establish plausible norms.MethodsPatients completed a 15-question survey about their expectations regarding pharmaceutical care-related activities while shopping in any pharmacy and a parallel 15 questions about their experiences while shopping in this particular pharmacy. The survey also collected information regarding pharmaceutical care consultation received by the patients and brief demographic data.ResultsA total of 628 patients from 55 pharmacies completed the survey. The pilot study’s three-factor satisfaction structure was confirmed. Overall, satisfaction measures did not differ by demographics or medical condition, but there were strong and significant store-to-store differences and consultation practice advantages when pharmacists or pharmacists-plus-students participated, but not for consultations with students alone.ConclusionPatient satisfaction can be reliably measured by surveys structured around pharmaceutical care activities. The introduction of pharmaceutical care in pharmacies improves patient satisfaction. Service gap details indicated that pharmacy managers need to pay closer attention to various consultative activities involving patients and doctors.

The importance that community pharmacists in Malta place on the introduction of pharmaceutical care.

The results from a study to assess the importance Maltese pharmacists placed on various aspects of pharmaceutical care and their willingness to provide such care are reported. A modified version of the Behavioural Pharmaceutical Care Scale (BPCS) questionnaire (consisting of three dimensions and 14 domains) was mailed to the 198 privately owned community pharmacies in Malta. A total of 99 questionnaires were returned following two reminder telephone calls. Pharmacists were asked to score the importance of each pharmaceutical care activity contained in the modified BPCS on a 6 point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 5. The overall score for the questionnaire, which illustrated the importance pharmacists attributed to various aspects of pharmaceutical care, ranged from 90 to 170 with a mean score of 134.8. There was little difference recorded between the scores for the three dimensions. The Referral and Consultation domain recorded a slightly higher score than the other two domains. Younger pharmacists obtained significantly higher scores (p < 0.05; Kruskal-Wallis test) in the Verification of Patient Understanding domain. Approximately 72% of respondents indicated that they were willing to provide pharmaceutical care, but remarked that a number of issues e.g. reimbursement, qualified support staff, GP-pharmacist co-operation, had to be addressed. A series of strategic steps are needed to help pharmacists resolve these issues before pharmaceutical care programmes could be offered by Maltese community pharmacists.