A Conceptual Framework of the Way Forward to a Community Pharmacist–General Practitioner Collaborative Medication Therapy Management Model for Chronic Diseases in Malaysian Primary Care: A Qualitative Study

Background Community pharmacies are the first point of contact for most people seeking treatment for minor illnesses globally. In recent years, the role of community pharmacists has evolved, and they play a significant role in the delivery of public health interventions (PHIs) aimed at health promotion and prevention such as smoking cessation services, weight management services, HIV prevention, and vaccination. This review aims to explore the evidence on the factors that influence community pharmacists to take up the role of delivery of such interventions. Methods Three electronic databases namely, Embase (1947-December 2023), Medline (1975-December 2023), and Scopus (1823-December 2023) were searched for relevant literature from the inception of the database to December 2023. Reference lists of included articles were also searched for relevant articles. A total of 22 articles were included in the review based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were analyzed and synthesized using a thematic approach to identify the factors that influence the community pharmacist’s decision to take up the role of PHI delivery. Reporting of the findings was done according to the PRISMA checklist. Findings The search identified 10,927 articles of which 22 were included in the review. The main factors that drive the delivery of PHIs by community pharmacists were identified as; training and continuous education, remuneration and collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Other factors included structural and workflow adjustments and support from the government and regulatory bodies. Conclusions Evidence from this review indicates that the decision to expand the scope of practice of community pharmacists is influenced by various factors. Incorporating these factors into the design of policies and public health programs is critical for the successful integration of community pharmacists in the delivery of broader public health to meet the rising demand for health care across health systems.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing the uptake of public health interventions delivery by community pharmacists: A systematic review of global evidence

Mumbi,

Mugo,

Barasa

et al. 2024

“…Notably, the lack of interprofessional connections between physicians and community pharmacists to enable a discussion of patients’ health conditions was considered by the participants. Evidence of a physician-pharmacist collaboration in clinical settings has been demonstrated to improve public health outcomes [ 39 , 51 ]. However, there is a lack of social and professional acceptance of community pharmacists among physicians in SA [ 52 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public perspective toward extended community pharmacy services in sub-national Saudi Arabia: An online cross-sectional study

Alghamdi,

Petzold,

Ewis

et al. 2023

Background In many developed countries, the scope of community pharmacy services has extended to include advanced applications. Unlike traditional practices that focus on pharmaceutical sales, extended community pharmacy services (ECPSs) are patient-centred and typically offered by specialised healthcare centres, which improve public health, reduce pressure imposed on healthcare professionals, and rationalise health system expenditures. However, based on the findings of several studies, community pharmacies (CPs) only provide marginalised services. Public reviews are thus crucial to effectively utilise such services. This study explored CPs use among the Saudi public in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to ECPSs. Materials and methods We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of a non-probability sample between October and December 2021. Numerical and graphical descriptive statistics were employed with an additional analytical assessment using binary logistic regression to determine the association between participant characteristics and the barriers to ECPSs use. Results A total of 563 individuals participated in this study, approximately 33% of which revealed CPs as the first place they visit for medication concerns. Most individuals were not aware of medication therapy management and health screening services (77% and 68%, respectively). Pharmacy clinics offering private counselling and receiving patient electronic medical records were unknown to the participants (78% and 63%, respectively). A substantial proportion of the cohort considered lack of privacy (58%) and inadequate communication with community pharmacists (56%) as key barriers to the use of ECPSs. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the underdeveloped infrastructure of CPs was significantly associated with almost all factors. Conclusion Most services and facilities were found to be underutilised. Positive public attitudes were associated with concerns regarding privacy and cost of services. Consistent with Saudi Vision 2030, supporting CPs and increasing the public awareness of ECPSs have significant implications on public health.

“…Efforts to enhance the integration of Medication Therapy Management (MTM) in pharmacy practice necessitate comprehensive measures [31]. Pharmacists stand to benefit significantly from workshops and additional training aimed at deepening their understanding of MTM benefits and honing their practical application skills in real-world pharmacy scenarios.…”

Section: Study Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring knowledge, attitudes and practice toward medication therapy management services among pharmacists in Yemen

Hatem,

Ibrahim,

Yousuf

2024

Medication therapy management (MTM) refers to the activities provided by pharmacists that patients recognize as evidence of care being provided. It encompasses the services that patients value and consider valuable. Many developing nations like Yemen have had poor implementation of MTM services. Thus, this research assessed the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) of Yemen pharmacists regarding MTM. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire among pharmacists in Sana’a, Yemen. They were recruited through convenience sampling. The alpha level of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Four hundred and sixty-one (461) pharmacists completed the questionnaire. About 70% were working in community pharmacies and 57.3% had (1–5) years of experience in pharmacy practice. The younger pharmacists had a higher level of knowledge than pharmacists with older age with median and IQR of 1.2(1.2–1.4) and 1.2(1–1.4) respectively (p < 0.001). Yemen pharmacists have positive attitudes toward MTM indicating a moderated level of attitudes with a median and IQR of 3.8(3.5–4). Hospital pharmacists expressed more positive attitudes toward MTM (P < 0.001) than pharmacists from other areas of practice. Only 11% of sampled pharmacists frequently offered MTM services. The top MTM service reported by Yemen pharmacists was "Performing or obtaining necessary assessments of the patient’s health status". However, "Formulating a medication treatment plan" received the least provided MTM service among Yemen pharmacists. Even though MTM services are not commonly utilized in pharmacy practice, Yemeni pharmacists have positive attitudes concerning MTM. Efforts are needed to enhance their MTM knowledge and the value of providing MTM services as well as to develop a culture of continuing pharmacy education about MTM among pharmacists.