Pharmacists as Providers of Care

A special issue of Pharmacy (ISSN 2226-4787). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacy Practice and Practice-Based Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 29003

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH, USA
Interests: pharmacy service development; sustainability of pharmacist-provided care; advocacy for patient access to care

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Guest Editor
Division of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Columbus, OH, USA
Interests: community-based pharmacy practice; value-based outcomes; patient-centered care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pharmacy practice is rapidly shifting as pharmacists are increasingly recognized as providers of care, pharmacist scope of practice is expanding, and compensation for pharmacist care is creating opportunities for novel, sustainable practice models. We invite you to share your perspective and work by contributing a manuscript to the “Pharmacists as Providers of Care” Special Issue in the journal Pharmacy-an open-access journal with a focus on pharmacy education and practice. For this Special Issue, we seek manuscripts that address strategies and evaluations related to the pharmacist’s role and recognition as a provider of care and integral member of the healthcare team. Manuscripts that address the pharmacist’s role influencing patient care outcomes, addressing public health issues, or promoting value-based care are encouraged, especially focused on community-based pharmacy practice. Additionally, investigations and descriptions of policy or advocacy initiatives that drive the pharmacist’s role forward are welcome.  Those papers that focus on financial sustainability of pharmacist-provided care are preferred. . We seek manuscripts of all types including: (1) reviews, (2) commentaries, (3) idea papers, (4) case studies, (5) demonstration studies, and (6) research studies.

If the Special Issue publishes more than 10 papers, the publisher will print a book edition that would be made available, both in digital format for free and in paperback format available by order.
 We hope this Special Issue will empower pharmacists, policymakers, advocates, and researchers with best practices and strategies to enhance patient access to pharmacist provided care. This issue intends to showcase pharmacists as integral members of the healthcare team who are necessary to improve the value of healthcare in the U.S.

Please feel free to contact us with any ideas or questions. We look forward to your submissions.

Dr. Jennifer L. Rodis
Dr. Brianne L. Porter
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmacy is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Community-based pharmacy practice
  • Pharmacist provider
  • Value-based outcomes
  • Patient-centered care
  • Advocacy

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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7 pages, 365 KiB  
Article
Patient Satisfaction with Pharmacist-Provided Health-Related Services in a Primary Care Clinic
by Jacob N. Jordan, Thomas G. Wadsworth, Renee Robinson, Hayli Hruza, Amy Paul and Shanna K. O’Connor
Pharmacy 2021, 9(4), 187; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmacy9040187 - 21 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2854
Abstract
(1) Background: Patient satisfaction plays an important role in the perceived value, sustained utilization, and coverage of healthcare services by payers and clinics. (2) Methods: A 33-question survey was designed to assess patient satisfaction and perceived value for healthcare services provided by a [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Patient satisfaction plays an important role in the perceived value, sustained utilization, and coverage of healthcare services by payers and clinics. (2) Methods: A 33-question survey was designed to assess patient satisfaction and perceived value for healthcare services provided by a clinical pharmacist in a single primary care facility. It included general items from validated patient satisfaction surveys (i.e., PROMIS®, CAHPS) and pharmacist-specific items identified in selected literature. It was offered to all patients who were presenting for a new, unique visit with the clinical pharmacist at the medical clinic between May 2019 and April 2020. (3) Results: A total of 66 patients agreed to take the survey (RR = 100%), and the responses were overwhelmingly positive. However, men were more likely than women to report higher satisfaction (X2(1, n = 920) = 0.67, p = 0.027), and new patients reported higher satisfaction than existing patients (X2(1, n = 1211) = 1.698, p = 0.037). (4) Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a high degree of patient satisfaction with pharmacist-provided healthcare services in the primary care setting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacists as Providers of Care)
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12 pages, 256 KiB  
Article
Exploring Pharmacists’ Roles during the 2019–2020 Australian Black Summer Bushfires
by Alexandra Moss, Toni Green, Simon Moss, Janique Waghorn and Mary-Jessimine Bushell
Pharmacy 2021, 9(3), 142; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmacy9030142 - 19 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4537
Abstract
Background: Australians are no strangers to sudden natural disasters, such as bushfires. The effects of a natural disaster can devastate local communities and health care services. Currently, limited research has explored the role of the pharmacist during a natural disaster. This study explores [...] Read more.
Background: Australians are no strangers to sudden natural disasters, such as bushfires. The effects of a natural disaster can devastate local communities and health care services. Currently, limited research has explored the role of the pharmacist during a natural disaster. This study explores the role of the Australian pharmacist during the 2019/2020 Black Summer Bushfires. Methods: Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with ten community pharmacists who worked through the Black Summer Bushfires whose daily tasks and work environment were directly affected by the bushfires. Thematic analysis using NVivo®, a qualitative data analysis software was conducted. Results: Analysis of the transcripts generated six main themes: collaboration; trauma and mental health; power and communication; acute presentations; triaging and emergency prescribing. Pharmacists worked in close collaboration with doctors and members of the local community. They provided triaging services, timely health advice about chronic health problems, and managed acute issues, including wound and burn management and mental health support in traumatic conditions, sometimes without power and communication amenities. The challenges presented to pharmacists during the bushfires warranted creative and flexible approaches at times. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for mental health support and training for pharmacists, provisional prescribing privileges, and a clearer set of contingency regulations and legislation related to emergencies and natural disasters. Further research is warranted to gain greater insight into the roles undertaken by Australian pharmacists during natural disasters and their autonomy in decision making processes during such times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacists as Providers of Care)
20 pages, 664 KiB  
Article
Experience of Patients with COPD of Pharmacists’ Provided Care: A Qualitative Study
by Omowumi Idowu, Tatiana Makhinova, Maira Quintanilha, Nese Yuksel, Theresa J. Schindel and Ross T. Tsuyuki
Pharmacy 2021, 9(3), 119; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmacy9030119 - 29 Jun 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4422
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with high global morbidity and mortality. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to provide services which may reduce the burden of this disease on the health system, patients, and their families. The study aimed to understand the perceptions [...] Read more.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with high global morbidity and mortality. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to provide services which may reduce the burden of this disease on the health system, patients, and their families. The study aimed to understand the perceptions and experiences of patients living with COPD with pharmacists’ provided care in COPD diagnosis and management. The study was guided by qualitative description methodology and reported using the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 participants who were recruited from community pharmacies, seniors’ centres, a general practice clinic, and a pulmonary rehabilitation centre. Using qualitative content analysis, we identified categories that revealed great variation in participants’ experience of pharmacy care based on the depth of patient–pharmacist engagement. Participants who regarded their pharmacists as an essential member of their healthcare team and those who did not, had contrasting experiences with education, communication, and ability to form connections with their pharmacists. For patients with COPD, it is important that the pharmacist is proactive in engaging patients through effective communication, education/provision of relevant information, identification of patient needs, and consistent provision of care with empathy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacists as Providers of Care)
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9 pages, 798 KiB  
Article
A De Novo Pharmacist-Family Physician Collaboration Model in a Family Medicine Clinic in Alberta, Canada
by Hoan Linh Banh and Andrew J. Cave
Pharmacy 2021, 9(2), 107; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmacy9020107 - 28 May 2021
Viewed by 3751
Abstract
Collaborative practice in health-care has proven to be an effective and efficient method for the management of chronic diseases. This study describes a de novo collaborative practice between a pharmacist and a family physician. The primary objective of the study is to describe [...] Read more.
Collaborative practice in health-care has proven to be an effective and efficient method for the management of chronic diseases. This study describes a de novo collaborative practice between a pharmacist and a family physician. The primary objective of the study is to describe the collaboration model between a pharmacist and family physician. The secondary objective is to describe the pharmacist workload. A list of patients who had at least one interaction with the pharmacist was generated and printed from the electronic medical record. There were 389 patients on the patient panel. The pharmacist had at least one encounter with 159 patients. There were 83 females. The most common medical condition seen by the pharmacist was hypertension. A total of 583 patient consultations were made by the pharmacist and 219 of those were independent visits. The pharmacist wrote 1361 prescriptions. The expanded scope of practice for pharmacists in Alberta includes additional prescribing authority. The pharmacists’ education and clinical experience gained trust from the family physician. These, coupled with the family physician’s previous positive experience working with pharmacists made the collaboration achievable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacists as Providers of Care)
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Review

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11 pages, 232 KiB  
Review
Pharmacist-Led Programs to Increase Statin Prescribing: A Narrative Review of the Literature
by Mary Elkomos, Raha Jahromi and Michael S. Kelly
Pharmacy 2022, 10(1), 13; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmacy10010013 - 07 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3284
Abstract
Statins are lipid-lowing medications shown to reduce cardiovascular events and are recommended for specific patient populations at elevated risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Despite the demonstrated efficacy of statins for reducing ASCVD risk, and guidance on which populations should receive statin therapy, [...] Read more.
Statins are lipid-lowing medications shown to reduce cardiovascular events and are recommended for specific patient populations at elevated risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Despite the demonstrated efficacy of statins for reducing ASCVD risk, and guidance on which populations should receive statin therapy, a substantial portion of eligible patients are not prescribed statin therapy. Pharmacists have attempted to increase the number of eligible patients receiving appropriate statin therapy through a variety of interventions and across several clinical settings. In this article, we highlight multiple studies evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacist-led interventions to improve statin use. A total of seven studies were selected for this narrative review, demonstrating the effectiveness and barriers of different statin-initiation programs delivered by pharmacists to increase statin use in eligible patients. Among the interventions assessed, a combination of provider communicating and statin prescribing through collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM) appear to the be the most useful at increasing statin use. Pharmacists can significantly improve statin use rates among eligible patients through multiple intervention types and across different clinical settings. Further studies should evaluate continued statin adherence and clinical outcomes among patients served by pharmacists. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacists as Providers of Care)

Other

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13 pages, 3206 KiB  
Concept Paper
Towards Better CARE for Superficial Fungal Infections: A Consultation Guide for the Community Pharmacy
by Pantira Parinyarux, Wiwat Thavornwattanayong, Cheardchai Soontornpas and Peeranon Rawangnam
Pharmacy 2022, 10(1), 29; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmacy10010029 - 11 Feb 2022
Viewed by 5638
Abstract
Superficial fungal infections (SFIs) are among the most common skin diseases worldwide and are common in many parts of Asia. Community pharmacists are well-placed to help identify and manage SFIs. However, effective management may be hindered by a suboptimal consultation process, attributed to [...] Read more.
Superficial fungal infections (SFIs) are among the most common skin diseases worldwide and are common in many parts of Asia. Community pharmacists are well-placed to help identify and manage SFIs. However, effective management may be hindered by a suboptimal consultation process, attributed to the misalignment between consumers’ and pharmacists’ viewpoints. The Fungal CARE (Care, Assess, Recommend, Empower) guide, a patient-centered collaborative framework, was developed to improve pharmacist-led SFI consultations in community pharmacy. A survey on real-world consumer experiences with SFIs provided insights for aligning the Fungal CARE guide with consumer perspectives. To further optimize the guide, community pharmacists were surveyed on their current practice and challenges of managing SFIs, as well as views on the usefulness of the Fungal CARE guide. The pharmacists’ survey indicated that respondents engaged with some but not all of consumers’ top concerns with SFIs, such as emotional and social aspects. Pharmacists identified their greatest challenges as poor compliance with SFI treatment and limited confidence in identifying and/or managing SFIs. Encouragingly, when presented with the Fungal CARE guide, nearly all pharmacists agreed it would be helpful and would use it in practice. Implementing the Fungal CARE guide may help improve pharmacist-led consultations for SFIs and encourage better treatment outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacists as Providers of Care)
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12 pages, 255 KiB  
Commentary
Transferring Key Success Factors from Ambulatory Care into the Community Pharmacy in the United States
by Alex J. Luli, Linda Awdishu, Jan D. Hirsch, Jonathan H. Watanabe, Mark Bounthavong and Candis M. Morello
Pharmacy 2021, 9(3), 116; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmacy9030116 - 23 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3504
Abstract
In the United States, pharmacists’ scope of practice continues to expand, with increasing opportunities for pharmacists in all practice settings to enhance health in society. In ambulatory care, pharmacists remain integral members on the healthcare team and have demonstrated positive impacts on patient [...] Read more.
In the United States, pharmacists’ scope of practice continues to expand, with increasing opportunities for pharmacists in all practice settings to enhance health in society. In ambulatory care, pharmacists remain integral members on the healthcare team and have demonstrated positive impacts on patient care. Sharing similar characteristics as pharmacists in the community setting, a deeper look into common elements of a successful ambulatory care practice that can be applied in the community pharmacy setting is warranted. Key success factors identified from ambulatory care include (1) maximizing a pharmacist’s unique knowledge base and skill set, (2) forming collaborations with physicians and other providers, (3) demonstrating outcomes and value, and (4) maintaining sustainability. Opportunities exist for pharmacists in the community setting to utilize these success factors when developing, implementing, and/or expanding direct patient care services that improve accessibility to quality care and population health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacists as Providers of Care)
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