Quality Indicators of Pharmaceutical Care in Palestinian Integrative Healthcare Facilities: Findings of a Qualitative Study among Stakeholders

Abstract

Background. Recently, there has been shifts from providing large volumes to providing higher quality of healthcare services. This qualitative exploratory study was conducted to explore the views of different stakeholders on activities and services that could serve as quality indicators of pharmaceutical care in Palestinian integrative healthcare facilities. Methods. A judgmental sampling technique was used to invite and recruit stakeholders for this study. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with the stakeholders. Data collected during the interviews were qualitatively analyzed using the interpretive description methodology. Themes, subthemes, and patterns were recognized using the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven. The data were coded using RQDA software. Results. Interviews (n = 22) were conducted with 9 complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, 8 pharmacists, 2 physicians, 2 nurses, and 1 risk/quality assurance manager. The interview median duration was 41 with an IQR of 22 min. Following the thematic analysis adopted to achieve the objectives of this study, six major themes emerged from the data collected from the interviews. The themes emerged from the data were (1) provision of collaborative, direct, and comprehensive patient care services; (2) common services and activities at the time of admission, during stay, at transition between wards/services/hospitals, and at discharge to home or community care; (3) screening for, identifying, and resolving problems; (4) collaboration with other healthcare providers; (5) professional development; and (6) performance and efficiency. Conclusions. Quality indicators are invaluable for informing decisions relevant to justifying allocation of scarce resources, securing funds, and demonstrating value in activities and services within integrative healthcare facilities. Further studies are still needed to develop a set of measurable indicators to measure the impact of pharmaceutical care in integrative healthcare facilities.

The Managerial Implications of the Key Performance Indicators in Healthcare Sector: A Cluster Analysis

“…The results could provide a guide to hospitals’ decision-makers in order to have under control the situation of the Algerian healthcare system [ 46 ] and for the other countries healthcare systems, because our findings are in consensus with the results of the other researchers [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]…”

Development of Key Performance Indicators for Capturing Impact of Pharmaceutical Care in Palestinian Integrative Healthcare Facilities: A Delphi Consensus Study

“…This study was part of a larger study that was conducted to develop a consensus-based core inventory of KPIs to be used in capturing the impact of pharmaceutical care in healthcare facilities that employ integrative medicine paradigm [ 33 , 34 ]. The present study is being reported in compliance with the Conducting and REporting of Delphi Studies (CREDES) guidelines [ 35 ].…”

“…Activities performed and services provided by pharmacists while caring for patients admitted to or visiting healthcare facilities that employ integrative medicine that potentially can be used as KPIs were collected from the literature into an initial inventory [ 33 ]. The list of activities and services collected from the literature was supplemented by additional activities and services that were provided by 9 CAM practitioners, 8 pharmacists, 2 physicians, 2 nurses, and 1 risk/quality assurance manager who were interviewed using in-depth semistructured qualitative interviews [ 34 ].…”

“…These potential KPIs were related to activities like taking the history, reconciliation, resolving drug-related discrepancies, providing direct and collaborative care, development of care plans, improving performance, and continuing education. In another study, 9 CAM practitioners, 8 pharmacists, 2 physicians, 2 nurses, and 1 risk/quality assurance manager were interviewed in semistructured interviews to explore their perspectives on activities and services that might be used as quality indicators of pharmaceutical care in integrative medicine [ 34 ]. Thematic analysis of the interviews led to 6 major themes that were related to providing collaborative care, services at admission, during the stay, at the transition of care, and at discharge, resolving drug-related discrepancies, collaboration with other healthcare professionals, professional development, and performing services efficiently.…”

Development of consensus-based aims, contents, intended learning outcomes, teaching, and evaluation methods for a history of medicine and pharmacy course for medical and pharmacy students in the Arab world: a Delphi study

“…Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with educators/academicians and professionals (5 educators/academicians, 3 pharmacists, and 3 physicians) to explore their views and opinions on the objectives and intended learning outcomes of the history of medicine and pharmacy course. The aim of these interviews was to obtain additional objectives and intended learning outcomes that might not be provided in the retrieved articles [12][13][14][15][16]. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and the transcripts were analyzed thematically [12].…”