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Medication management surrounding transitions of care: A qualitative assessment of community pharmacists' preferences (MEMO TOC).

ABSTRACT: Background:Multiple medication changes during hospitalization increase the risk of errors upon discharge. Community pharmacists may face barriers to providing pharmaceutical care because of the lack of clinical information and communication from hospitals. Studies implementing handover to community pharmacists upon hospital discharge reported improved patient outcomes, but interventions were time-consuming. Methods:One-on-one interviews and a focus group were conducted to identify community pharmacists' barriers to providing care to patients recently discharged from hospital and to determine their preferences for hospital discharge prescriptions. Transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using an inductive semantic approach. Results:Four one-on-one interviews and an 8-participant focus group were conducted. Participants described barriers to providing care to discharged patients, including lack of communication, incomplete prescriptions, and limited clinical information. Participants identified that the most valuable information to include comprised laboratory values, hospital contact information and annotation of medication changes. These items would improve their abilities to provide timely and high-quality pharmaceutical care. Interpretation:Our results were similar to prior literature identifying a lack of communication and clinical information as barriers to providing care to recently discharged patients. Unexpectedly, study participants did not rate medication indication as a strongly preferred information item. Conclusions:Hospital discharge prescriptions lack information, which makes it challenging for community pharmacists to provide pharmaceutical care. Discharge prescriptions should include additional clinical information. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2020;153:xx-xx.

SUBMITTER: Hambrook M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7560558 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Medication management surrounding transitions of care: A qualitative assessment of community pharmacists' preferences (MEMO TOC).

Hambrook Miranda M Peterson Shaylee S Gorman Sean S Becotte Greg G Burrows Andrea A

Canadian pharmacists journal : CPJ = Revue des pharmaciens du Canada : RPC 20200827 5

<h4>Background</h4>Multiple medication changes during hospitalization increase the risk of errors upon discharge. Community pharmacists may face barriers to providing pharmaceutical care because of the lack of clinical information and communication from hospitals. Studies implementing handover to community pharmacists upon hospital discharge reported improved patient outcomes, but interventions were time-consuming.<h4>Methods</h4>One-on-one interviews and a focus group were conducted to identify ...[more]

PMID: 33110471

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Collaborative care approaches between general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists have received international recognition for medication optimization and deprescribing efforts. Although specialist providers have been shown to influence deprescribing, their profession so far remains omitted from collaborative care approaches for medication optimization. Similarly, while explorative studies on role perception and collaboration between GPs and pharmacists grow, interaction with specialists for medication optimization is neglected. Our qualitative study therefore aims to explore GPs', community pharmacists' and specialist providers' role perceptions of deprescribing, and to identify interpersonal as well as structural factors that may influence collaborative medication optimization approaches. METHOD:Seven focus-group discussions with GPs, community pharmacists and community specialists were conducted in Hesse and Lower Saxony, Germany. The topic guide focused on views and experiences with deprescribing with special attention to inter-professional collaboration. We conducted conventional content analysis and conceptualized emerging themes using the Theoretical Domains Framework. RESULTS:Twenty-six GPs, four community pharmacists and three community specialists took part in the study. The main themes corresponded to the four domains 'Social/professional role and identity' (1), 'Social influences' (2), 'Reinforcement' (3) and ´Environmental context and resources' (4) which were further described by beliefs statements, that is inductively developed key messages. For (1), GPs emerged as central medication managers while pharmacists and specialists were assigned confined or subordinated tasks in deprescribing. Social influences (2) encompassed patients' trust in GPs as a support, while specialists and pharmacists were believed to threaten GPs' role and deprescribing attempts. Reinforcements (3) negatively affected GPs' and pharmacists' effort in medication optimization by social reprimand and lacking reward. Environmental context (4) impeded deprescribing efforts by deficient reimbursement and resources as well as fragmentation of care, while informational and gate-keeping resources remained underutilized. CONCLUSION:Understanding stakeholders' role perceptions on collaborative deprescribing is a prerequisite for joint approaches to medication management. We found that clear definition and dissemination of roles and responsibilities are premise for avoiding intergroup conflicts. Role performance and collaboration must further be supported by structural factors like adequate reimbursement, resources and a transparent continuity of care.

Project description:BackgroundInterprofessional medication management in primary care is a recognized strategy for improving medication safety, but it is poorly implemented in Germany. As a pilot project, ARMIN [Arzneimittelinitiative Sachsen-Thüringen] was initiated in 2014 to establish better interprofessional medication management between general practitioners and community pharmacists.AimThe aim of this study was to explore the views of non-participating general practitioners and community pharmacists towards interprofessional medication management within ARMIN and to identify barriers to participation.MethodThis was an interview study comprising a series of semi-structured telephone interviews. In total, 36 general practitioners and 15 community pharmacists were interviewed in the period between March and June 2020. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis as an inductive approach and the consolidated framework for implementation research as a deductive approach.ResultsMany general practitioners and community pharmacists had a generally positive attitude towards interprofessional medication management. However, various barriers were identified and categorized into five major themes: (I) collaboration between general practitioners and community pharmacists, e.g. concerning general practitioners' professional sovereignty and pharmacists' fear of jeopardizing their relationship with general practitioners when interfering in therapy; (II) eligibility for participation, e.g., the fact that patients had to be insured with a specific statutory health insurance fund; (III) local circumstances, e.g. many pharmacists could not find a collaborating general practitioner (and vice versa). Moreover, patient demand was low, probably because patients were not aware of the program; (IV) information technology, e.g. concerning the lack of available software and data security concerns; and (V) cost-benefit ratio, e.g. the fact that potential benefits were outweighed by program-associated costs.ConclusionThe perceived discrepancy between positive attitudes and multiple prevalent barriers indicates considerable potential for further interprofessional collaboration between general practitioners and community pharmacists.

Project description:ObjectivePreference for asthma management and the use of medications is motivated by the interplay between lived experiences of asthma and patients' attitudes towards medications. Many previous studies have focused on individual aspects of asthma management, such as the use of preventer and reliever inhalers. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the preferences of patients with mild-moderate asthma for asthma management as a whole and factors that influenced these preferences.DesignA qualitative study employing qualitative descriptive analysis situated within a constructionist epistemology to analyse transcribed audio recordings from focus groups.SettingThree locations within the greater Wellington area in New Zealand.ParticipantsTwenty-seven adults with self-reported doctor's diagnosis of asthma, taking short-acting beta-agonists alone or inhaled corticosteroids with or without long-acting beta2-agonist, who had used any inhaled asthma medication within the last month.ResultsFour key areas described preferences for asthma management. Preferences for self-management: participants wanted to be in control of their asthma and developed personal strategies to achieve this. Preferences for the specific medications or treatment regimen: participants preferred regimens that were convenient and reliably relieved symptoms. Preferences for inhaler devices: devices that had dose counters and were easy to use and portable were important. Preferences for asthma services: participants wanted easier access to their inhalers and to be empowered by their healthcare providers. Participant preferences within each of these four areas were influenced by the impact asthma had on their life, their health beliefs, emotional consequences of asthma and perceived barriers to asthma management.ConclusionsThis study illustrates the interaction of the lived experience of asthma, factors specific to the individual, and factors relating to asthma treatments in shaping patient preferences for asthma management. This aids our understanding of preferences for asthma management from the patient perspective.Trial registration numberAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619000601134).

Project description:BackgroundCompletion rates for medication therapy management (MTM) services have been lower than desired and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has added MTM comprehensive medication review (CMR) completion rates as a Part D plan star measure. Over half of plans utilize community pharmacists via contracts with MTM vendors.ObjectivesThe primary objective of this survey study was to identify factors associated with the CMR completion rates of community pharmacies contracted with a national MTM vendor.MethodslRepresentatives from 27,560 pharmacy locations contracted with a national MTM vendor were surveyed. The dependent variable of interest was the pharmacies' CMR completion rate. Independent variables included the pharmacy's progressiveness stratum and number of CMRs assigned by the MTM vendor during the time period, as well as self-reported data to characterize MTM facilitators, barriers, delivery strategies, staffing, selected items from a modified Assessment of Chronic Illness Care, and pharmacist/pharmacy demographics. Univariate negative binomial models were fit for each independent variable, and variables significant at p < 0.05 were entered into a multivariable model.ResultsRepresentatives from 3836 (13.9%) pharmacy locations responded; of these, 90.9% (n = 3486) responses were useable. The median CMR completion rate was 0.42. Variables remaining significant at p < 0.05 in the multivariable model included: progressiveness strata; pharmacy type; scores on the facilitators scale; responses to two potential barriers items; scores on the patient/caregiver delivery strategies sub-scale; providing MTM at multiple locations; reporting that the MTM vendor sending the survey link is the primary MTM vendor for which the respondent provides MTM; and the number of hours per week that the pharmacy is open.ConclusionsFactors at the respondent (e.g., responses to facilitators scale) and pharmacy (e.g., pharmacy type) levels were associated with CMR completion rates. These findings could be used by MTM stakeholders to improve CMR completion rates.

Project description:BACKGROUND:In England, since 2015, there has been a formal drive to integrate pharmacists into general practice as a new healthcare service. Research efforts have offered insights into how general practice-based professionals and patients view the service, however, they took no account of community pharmacy teams' opinions. There have been anecdotal statements about opposition from community pharmacies to the service, due to fears of losing business. The aim of the current study was to identify the experiences and perceptions of community pharmacy teams regarding pharmacists' presence in general practice. METHODS:The National Health Service Choices website was used to identify community pharmacies within a radius of two miles from eight West London general practices. The search resulted in 104 community pharmacies which were all contacted via telephone. Pharmacy staff who verbally expressed their interest to participate were then provided with the study's documents. Qualitative, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted inside the pharmacy from which each participant was recruited. Interviews lasted 30 to 45?min and were audio-recorded. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and transcripts analysed thematically. RESULTS:Forty-eight community pharmacy staff participated. Four themes were discerned: awareness ("I knew that [pharmacists] have already been implemented [in general practice] but I haven't really followed it … where does the pharmacist role come?"); interactions ("I'm just so pleased that there's a pharmacist professional in the general practice … because we speak the same language!"); patient care ("if I was a patient knowing that there is a general practitioner and a pharmacist [in general practice], I would … think 'nothing can go wrong at the moment'"); and funding challenges ("if general practices take on the extra responsibility of stop smoking or flu vaccination campaigns … financially, this would affect this pharmacy"). CONCLUSIONS:The current study revealed the perceived impact of general practice-based pharmacists on community pharmacies would be improved communication between pharmacies and practices. Findings will inform policy so that any future framing of pharmacists' presence in general practice considers the needs of community pharmacies.

Project description:BackgroundThe Electronic Prescription Service Release 2 (EPS2) in England has been designed to provide electronic transmission of digitally-signed prescriptions between primary care providers, with the intent on removing the large amounts of paper currently exchanged. As part of a wider evaluation of the EPS service, we wished to explore pharmacists' experience with the new system and their perceptions of its benefits and any associated problems.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with community pharmacists using EPS2. We used a purposive sampling technique to obtain views from pharmacists working in pharmacies with a range of sizes and locations and to include both independent pharmacies and multiples. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using grounded theory to identify the main factors that have influenced deployment and implementation in the eyes of respondents. QSR Nvivo was used as to aid in this process.ResultsIt became apparent from the analysis that respondents perceived a wide range of advantages of EPS including improved safety, stock control, time management and improved relationships between pharmacy and General Practice staff. Respondents did not perceive a large difference in terms of work processes or development of their professional role. A large number of problems had been experienced in relation to both the technology itself and the way it was used by General Practices. It became apparent that work-around procedures had been developed for dealing with these issues but that not all these problems were perceived as having been addressed sufficiently at source. This sometimes had implications for the extent of EPS2 use and also limited some of the potential advantages of the EPS2 system, such as reduced effort in the management of prescription reimbursement. Respondents made suggestions for future improvements to EPS2. While interview data demonstrated that there were some feedback procedures in place, these were not regarded as being sufficient by the majority of respondents.ConclusionsWhilst pharmacists perceived a wide range of benefits of EPS, a large number of problems had been experienced. Despite these difficulties, no pharmacists expressed an overall negative view.

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Medication management surrounding transitions of care: A qualitative assessment of community pharmacists' preferences (MEMO TOC).

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Medication management surrounding transitions of care: A qualitative assessment of community pharmacists' preferences (MEMO TOC).

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