Challenges and opportunities of clinical pharmacy services in Ethiopia: a qualitative study from healthcare practitioners’ perspective

Abstract

Background:Currently, clinical pharmacists have in-depth therapeutic knowledge and scientific skills to act as drug therapy experts in healthcare settings.Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the opportunities and challenges of clinical pharmacy services from the health practitioners’ perspective in University of Gondar (UOG) hospital Ethiopia.Methods:A qualitative study was performed using face-to-face in-depth interviews with health practitioners who were directly involved in clinical pharmacy services (clinical pharmacists, physicians, and nurses) in UOG hospital.Results:A total of 15 health professionals from various specialties were interviewed to express their views towards clinical pharmacists’ competencies and identified challenges and opportunities regarding their clinical services. Based on interviewees report, the opportunities for clinical pharmacists includes acceptance of their clinical services among health specialties, new government policy and high patient load in hospital. However, inadequacy of service promotions, lack of continuity of clinical pharmacy services in wards, poor drug information services, lack of commitment, lack of confidence among clinical pharmacists, conflict of interest due to unclear scope of practice, and absence of cooperation with health workers were some of the challenges identified by the interviewees.Conclusion:We identified health professionals working in UOG hospital are receptive towards clinical pharmacy services, but identified some of the potential challenges that needed to be focused to strengthen and promote clinical pharmacy services. Further, the opportunities at hand also need to be utilized astutely to boost the services.

Facilitators and barriers for performing comprehensive medication reviews and follow-up by multiprofessional teams in older hospitalised patients

“…Failure to clarify roles in our trial may be reflected in pharmacists not being perceived as an integrated part of the ward team and physicians not being well-informed about the trial's interventions and working processes. Consistent with previous research [20,21,24,38,39], we identified more barriers related to teamwork and collaboration, like pharmacists not always being present at the ward, frequent staff rotations and a lack of time for physician-pharmacist contact. Having pharmacists structurally participate in medical ward rounds may facilitate collaboration.…”

“…These tools may require selfassessment by the patient [35] or algorithm-based screening of the electronic medical record [36,37]. Our findings seem consistent with those from qualitative research on CMRs and related interventions by multiprofessional ward teams in other countries and regions [20,21,24,38,39]. Physicians think that pharmacists are reliable and add knowledge to the team [20,21,24]; they perceive positive contribution to the shared goal to improve patient care and safety [21,38,39], and presence by pharmacists at the ward is essential to build professional relationships [21,24].…”

“…Our findings seem consistent with those from qualitative research on CMRs and related interventions by multiprofessional ward teams in other countries and regions [20,21,24,38,39]. Physicians think that pharmacists are reliable and add knowledge to the team [20,21,24]; they perceive positive contribution to the shared goal to improve patient care and safety [21,38,39], and presence by pharmacists at the ward is essential to build professional relationships [21,24]. Theories on interprofessional collaboration and the CFIR emphasise the importance of these facilitators [31,40].…”

“…Multiprofessional collaboration can lead to an improved understanding of the pharmacist's role in the team [24,38]. In our study, different perspectives on roles and responsibilities of the pharmacist seemed however to persist.…”

Attitudes, Opportunities, and Challenges for Clinical Pharmacy Services in Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia: Health Care Providers’ Perspective

“…A plethora of studies have explored opportunities for the clinical pharmacists [10,[16][17][18]. In contrary, the clinical pharmacists are facing many challenges while dispensing medications, counseling patients, and interacting with medicine prescribers [17][18][19][20][21]. A recent reform in hospital implementation guidelines of Ethiopia stated the importance of pharmacists and their incorporation into the health care team for the benefit of the patients [22].…”