The Home Care Clinical Pharmacy Practice in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: To demonstrate the clinical pharmacy in home health care services in Saudi Arabia. Methods: It analyzes a cross-sectional survey discussing home care clinical pharmacy practice in Saudi Arabia. The survey consisted of respondents' demographic information about the workforce's pharmacists, Pharmacotherapy classes utilization for home healthcare patients, and therapeutic guidelines implemented in Home Healthcare Pharmacy services. The 5-point Likert response scale system was used with closed-ended questions. The survey was validated through the revision of expert reviewers and pilot testing. Besides, various tests of reliability, McDonald's ω, Cronbach alpha, Gutmann's λ2, and Gutmann's λ6 were done with the study. Furthermore, the data analysis of the home care clinical pharmacy practice is done through the survey monkey system. Besides, the statistical package of social sciences (SPSS), Jeffery's Amazing Statistics Program (JASP), and Microsoft Excel sheet version 16. Results: A total number of 393 pharmacists responded to the questionnaire. Of them, more than three-quarters responded from the Central region (303 (77.10%)), with statistically significant differences between the provinces (p=0.000). Males responded less than females (195 (49.74%)) versus 197 (50.26%%)), with statistically non-significant differences between them (p=0.920). Most of the responders were in the age group of 24-35 years (267 (67.94%)) and 36-45 years (121 (30.79%)), with statistically significant differences between all age groups (p=0.000). Most responders stated that pharmacy home healthcare workforces were five or more clinical pharmacists (35.14-41.89%) and full-time pharmacy staff providing home health pharmacy services. Besides, five or more pharmacists (30.89-52.57%) and five or more pharmacy technicians (31.25-51.09%) with statistically significant differences between all workforce numbers (p=0.000). Most medications reviewed or dispensed for home healthcare patients include Nutrition support (4.50) and Vitamins and mineral supplements (4.49). They were followed by NSAIDs or Pain killers (4.46) and Antibiotics (4.45), with statistically significant differences between all answers (p=0.000). The average score of therapeutic guidelines implemented in Home healthcare Pharmacy services was (4.29). The element "The standard considerations of urology disease therapy guidelines" obtained the highest score (4.44). The element "The standard considerations of acute and chronic kidney disease therapy among geriatric patients" was (4.41), and the aspect "The concerns and management of Gastrointestinal therapeutic guidelines" was (4.38). Conclusion: Nutrition support and vitamin were most used as pharmacotherapy classes for home healthcare services. The urology and nephrology therapeutic guidelines were most implemented. Future research is needed to determine most home care clinical pharmacy services and identify the role of clinical practitioners in home health care services in Saudi Arabia.