ABSTRACT
Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the impact of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the roles of hospital and community pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to assess how COVID-19 has affected their roles concerning medication dispensing and review, patient education, and telepharmacy services. Methods: This was a face-to-face questionnaire-based study. A convenient sampling technique was used to collect responses from 428 licensed community and hospital pharmacists across the UAE. The study tool is a structured questionnaire. Data were cleaned and analysed through SPSS Version 26. Results: In terms of medication dispensing practice, 314 (73.4%) and 210 (49.1%) of pharmacists reported an increase in the dispensing of over the counter (OTC) medicines and antibiotics after COVID-19, respectively. Of the pharmacists included in the study, 380 (88.8%) and 328 (76.6%) reported an elevation in the engagement in patient education and medication review after COVID-19, respectively. On the other hand, 247 (57.7%) and 179 (41.8%) of pharmacists reported that the frequency of their pharmaceutical interventions and physicians' acceptance of those interventions increased after COVID-19, which was significantly associated (p=0.01) with pharmacists' ability to intervene on the dosage regimen of COVID-19 patient. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical care in the UAE has evolved after COVID-19, particularly in the aspects of medications dispensing, telepharmacy, and patient-centered services..
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has made the situation challenging for higher education institutions. Students have been given the option to study either in offline or online mode. This has forced higher education institutions to conduct classes in a hybrid mode. Teaching in a hybrid mode has its unique challenges. Apart from the issues in delivering lectures, it has made Knowledge Management difficult. This study examines the problems faced by the educators from higher education institutions in delivering lectures in the hybrid mode and the problems faced by the institutions in Knowledge Management. The role of Information Technology in facilitating Knowledge Management is studied. This study uses a qualitative approach. The findings show that educators are facing challenging to deliver lecturers in a hybrid mode dually at the same time assimilation and dissemination of knowledge has become a challenge. It is also observed that Information Technology tool like Internet of Things (IoT) can play a significant role in capturing data and Knowledge Management. © 2022 Bharati Vidyapeeth, New Delhi.