Beliefs about inhaled corticosteroids: Comparison of community pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and patients with asthma

The practice of pharmacy is evolving from a product-related focus to one that is more patient-oriented and outcome-directed. This new focus can reduce the cost and/or improve the quality of care. Pharmacists often detect and resolve medication-related problems, though few reimbursement incentives exist for the amount of time and effort it takes. With statutory restrictions on the total use of pharmacy technicians and state-mandated OBRA patient counseling and prospective drug utilization review, community pharmacists are pressed for time more than their hospital colleagues to document their daily interventions for improving drug therapy for their patients. PharmD students can assist the community pharmacist in documenting these medication-related problems. Documentation of these "cognitive" or "value-added services," including their outcome on cost and care, is critically necessary for future reimbursement consideration by third-party payers. Copyright © 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company

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Community Pharmacists' Attitudes toward the Expanding Role of Pharmacy Technicians

Journal of Pharmacy Technology ◽

10.1177/875512259000600509 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. 212-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stephen W. Birdwell ◽

Marie Zanol

Keyword(s):

Community Pharmacists ◽

Pharmacy Technicians

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Analysis of Real-World Experiences with the Ontario MedsCheck Program

The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy ◽

10.4212/cjhp.v72i4.2916 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 72 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Ashley Graham ◽

William Bartle ◽

Patti Madorin ◽

Vincent Teo ◽

Artemis Diamantouros

Keyword(s):

Focus Groups ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

Health Sciences ◽

Pharmacy Staff ◽

Hospital Pharmacists ◽

Sunnybrook Health ◽

Pharmacy Technicians ◽

Groupes De Discussion

ABSTRACTBackground: The Ontario MedsCheck program was introduced in April 2007, with enhancements to strengthen the program made in October 2016. Previous literature has characterized patients who received the service before the enhancements and described the experiences of community pharmacists and physicians, but the experiences of participants in the enhanced MedsCheck program and those of hospital pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have not been explored.Objectives: This study was designed to describe and compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients admitted to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC) who had received a MedsCheck before and after the program enhancements of 2016. The study also aimed to describe the experiences of patients, hospital pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians with the MedsCheck program.Methods: Chart reviews were completed to identify and characterize patients who had received a MedsCheck and were admitted to SHSC between March and May 2016 (retrospective cohort) and between March and May 2017 (prospective cohort). Patients were interviewed and focus groups were conducted with pharmacy staff to explore their experiences with the MedsCheck program. Results: MedsChecks had been performed for 321 (14.5%) of 2216 patients in the retrospective cohort and 172 (6.8%) of 2547 patients in the prospective cohort, an absolute decline of 7.7% after the 2016 enhancements. Patient characteristics were similar between the 2 cohorts. Patients’ experiences were varied, but because of low enrolment in the interview process (n = 3), it was difficult to identify and summarize common themes. The analysis of focus groups involving pharmacy staff (n = 27 participants) revealed that the benefits of MedsChecks depended on quality and access, and also identified common barriers and oppor -tunities for future enhancements. Conclusions: Patient interviews revealed the features of the program that patients valued. Pharmacy staff identified several benefits and barriers encountered when using MedsChecks. These findings can guide clinicians in optimal application of the current MedsCheck program and can inform subsequent program revisions.RÉSUMÉContexte : En avril 2007, l’Ontario a introduit le programme MedsCheck assorti d’améliorations visant à renforcer le programme élaboré en octobre 2016. La documentation antérieure décrivait l’expérience des patients rece-vant le service ainsi que celle des pharmaciens et des médecins communau-taires avant les améliorations, mais les expériences des participants au programme MedsCheck amélioré ainsi que celles des techniciens en pharmacie et des pharmaciens d’hôpitaux n’avaient toutefois pas été étudiées.Objectifs : Cette étude a été conçue pour décrire et comparer les caractéristiques démographiques et cliniques des patients admis au Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC) qui ont reçu un MedsCheck avant et après les améliorations apportées au programme de 2016. L’étude vise également à décrire les expériences qu’ont faites les patients, les pharmaciens d’hôpitaux et les techniciens en pharmacie avec le programme MedsCheck amélioré.Méthodes : Des examens de graphiques ont permis d’identifier et de caractériser les patients admis au SHSC entre mars et mai 2016 (cohorte rétrospective) et entre mars et mai 2017 (cohorte prospective), ayant reçu un MedsCheck. Les patients ont été interrogés et des groupes de discussion avec le personnel de pharmacie ont été organisés pour étudier les expériences qu’ils ont faites avec le programme MedsCheck. Résultats : Des MedsChecks ont été effectués auprès de 321 patients (14,5 %) sur les 2216 dans la cohorte rétrospective, et de 172 patients (6,8 %) sur les 2547 dans la cohorte prospective : une diminution de 7,7 % après les améliorations apportées en 2016. Les caractéristiques des patients étaient similaires dans les deux cohortes. Les expériences des patients étaient variées, mais la faible inscription au processus d’entretien (n = 3) n’a pas permis de déterminer et de résumer les thèmes communs. L’analyse des groupes de discussion comprenant des membres du personnel de pharmacie (n = 27 participants) a révélé que les avantages du programme MedsChecks dépendaient de la qualité de l’information fournie par le programme et de l’accès à cette information, et elle a aussi permis de cibler les obstacles courants et des possibilités d’améliorations futures.Conclusions : Les entretiens avec les patients ont révélé les caractéristiques du programme que les patients appréciaient. Le personnel de pharmacie a relevé plusieurs avantages et quelques obstacles liés à l’utilisation du programme MedsChecks. Ces résultats peuvent faciliter l’application optimale du programme MedsCheck actuel par les cliniciens et orienter les révisions ultérieures.

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How do community pharmacies in Ontario manage drug shortage problems? Results of an exploratory qualitative study

Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada ◽

10.1177/1715163520958023 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 153 (6) ◽

pp. 371-377

Author(s):

Gea Panic ◽

Xuan Yao ◽

Paul Gregory ◽

Zubin Austin

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Drug Shortage ◽

Drug Shortages ◽

Real World Problem ◽

Pharmacy Technicians ◽

Additional Support

Background: Pharmacists report spending a considerable amount of time dealing with drug shortages. There is no research in Canada identifying and describing the strategies and resources that pharmacists use to minimize disruption and continuity of care for patients. Methods: An exploratory qualitative methodology was used. Community pharmacists and technicians in Ontario were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol. Verbatim transcripts were generated and coded by at least 2 independent reviewers using content analysis methods to identify management strategies. Results and Discussion: A total of 14 pharmacists and 7 regulated pharmacy technicians participated in this study. The following 5 main strategies for managing drug shortages were identified: (1) using the supplier, (2) generic options, (3) brand options, (4) contacting other pharmacies and (5) switching to a different medication. Conclusion: The strategies identified through this research can provide pharmacists with some guidance in approaching the real-world problem of drug shortages. It also highlights opportunities for organizations, government and manufacturers to provide additional support for pharmacists to minimize disruptions for patients and to ensure current ad hoc practices do not further compound shortage issues. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2020;153:xx-xx.

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Survey Regarding Provisions of a 3-Day Supply of an Antihypertensive

Journal of Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1177/0897190013508140 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 364-368

Author(s):

David W. Seal ◽

Je'Laune Walton ◽

Sherifa Williams ◽

Robert Wilson ◽

Joshua Smith-Benson

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Informed Consent ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Antihypertensive Medication ◽

Community Setting ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Patient Counseling ◽

Pharmacy Technicians ◽

Emergency Supply

Objective: To evaluate the provisions made by pharmacists when dispensing an emergency supply of an antihypertensive medication to patients in a community setting. Participants: Pharmacists and nonpharmacists (pharmacy technicians or interns) who were employed with community pharmacies and have witnessed or dispensed an emergency supply of an antihypertensive medication. Those who agreed to participate in this study via informed consent. Intervention: A short questionnaire was used to assess the provisions made by community pharmacists from the perspectives of both the pharmacists and the nonpharmacists. Main outcome measures: Availability of blood pressure machines, evaluation of blood pressure readings, and patient counseling sessions or assessments prior to dispensing the emergency supply of an antihypertensive were the major outcome measures. Results Among the participants, 92% of the pharmacists and 79% of the nonpharmacists reported they have witnessed or dispensed an emergency supply of an antihypertensive medication. Of those, 82% of the pharmacists and 78% of the nonpharmacists recognized there were blood pressure machines available. However, 78% of the pharmacists and 72% of the nonpharmacists acknowledged the patient’s blood pressure was not checked. Conclusion/Implication: This observational study demonstrates that provisions when dispensing an emergency supply of an antihypertensive medication are inconsistent. Further evaluation is warranted.

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Pharmacy Technicians’ Contribution to Counselling at Community Pharmacies in Denmark

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy8010048 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 48 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mira El-Souri ◽

Rikke Nørgaard Hansen ◽

Ann Moon Raagaard ◽

Birthe Søndergaard ◽

Charlotte Rossing

Keyword(s):

Community Pharmacists ◽

Prescription Medication ◽

Vital Role ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Drug Related Problems ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Medical Products ◽

Pharmacy Technicians

(1) Background: pharmacy technicians are the largest group of staff at Danish community pharmacies and play a vital role in counselling customers on prescription medication, over-the-counter (OTC) medication and non-medical products. This is the first study carried out to specifically analyse how they contribute to counselling and identification of drug-related problems (DRPs) at Danish community pharmacies. (2) Methods: seventy-six pharmacy technicians from 38 community pharmacies registered data on all of their customer visits for five days, over a four-week period, between January and March 2019. Data were analysed in SPSS version 24. (3) Results: 58.9% of all registered customers (n = 10,417) received counselling. They identified DRPs for 15.8% of all registered customers (n = 2800). Counselling by pharmacy technicians solved, or partially solved, problems for 70.4% of customers with DRPs. Pharmacy technicians estimated that 25.2% of customers receiving counselling (n = 2621) were saved a visit to the general practitioner (GP). (4) Conclusions: as community pharmacists get more involved in complex services, it would be necessary to expand the roles of pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy technicians contribute to medication safety via counselling, and identifying and handling DRPs for all customers. This study documents the role of pharmacy technicians in customer counselling at Danish community pharmacies. It provides evidence to researchers and policy makers to support discussions on the future role of pharmacy technicians at community pharmacies.

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