Implementation of a pharmaceutical care service: prescriptionists', pharmacists' and doctors' views.

OBJECTIVE: To identify prescriptionists', pharmacists' and doctors' perceptions and experiences of a pharmaceutical care service supported by patient medication records (PMRs).

METHOD: Qualitative study employing focus group interviews with 16 prescriptionists and five pharmacists, and semi structured telephone interviews with 11 doctors.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prescriptionists', pharmacists' and doctors' views, experiences and perceptions of a pharmaceutical care service on Swedish community pharmacies.

RESULTS: The provision of pharmaceutical care aided by PMRs had a positive influence on the prescriptionists' and pharmacists' daily work, and on their view of their professional role. They assumed greater professional responsibility, and described greater use of their pharmaceutical knowledge, greater confidence in practice and an increased awareness of their counselling role. They appreciated that the pharmaceutical care service provided an over-all picture of patients' drug use, allowed for follow-up on counselling and made the prescriptionists' and pharmacists' competence tangible for patients. Perceived problems with the pharmaceutical care service included being time-consuming, record keeping being difficult, difficulty in getting understanding/support from colleagues and managers, and difficulty involving doctors. The majority of the doctors reported that they had not taken an active interest in the project, and their opinions of the pharmaceutical care service varied.

CONCLUSION: When prescriptionists and pharmacists apply the pharmaceutical care concept and work with PMRs, the patients are more likely to meet confident professionals that are more aware of the individual behind the drug therapy. This will hopefully contribute to informed, motivated medicine users that feel secure in their interactions with their pharmacy and receive, not only drugs, but treatment support. For such a service to be effective, however, it is vital to ensure that the doctors are fully co-operative.