Introduction: Design thinking, an innovative problem-solving approach, has gained wide popularity in healthcare disciplines. The aim of this work is to improve outpatients’ experiences in hospital pharmacies in two hospitals in Asir region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The design thinking approach, adopted from Stanford University’s D-School, was used in this study. Results: Several problems were identified: lack of comfortable environment in the pharmacies’ waiting area, lack of a queue management system, and workflow inefficiencies related to ordering and supplies of medicines. A prototype was proposed to overcome these challenges. Discussion and Conclusion: The design thinking approach helped in identifying end-user (patients visiting outpatient pharmacies) values and desires and provided an understanding of their struggles. It also proposed tailored solutions that could improve patients’ experiences while using the services of the outpatient pharmacies.
Due to its perceived safety and ease of access, complementary and alternative medicine has gained great popularity around the world for the self-management of a disease, including end-stage renal disease. The current study was conducted to determine the prevalence and types of complementary and alternative medicine used among the end-stage renal disease patients receiving hemodialysis in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The study employed face-to-face interviews of patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis at three outpatient renal centers in the southern region of Saudi Arabia from November 2019 to January 2020. Of the 331 participants interviewed, 166 (50.1%) reported the use of complementary and alternative modalities. Of the complementary and alternative approaches used, herbal remedies were the most common (80%), followed by Quran recitation (40.8%), Zamzam water (29.9%), and honey (24.5%). Most patients used botanical-based therapies, such as herbal medicine that necessitates need for better understanding of the possible mechanism for better communication between the patients and healthcare providers. Patient education on the potential risks/benefits of different complementary and alternative modalities and herbal drug/disease interactions should be offered by healthcare professionals.
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