The approach of Norm Balance in predicting pharmacists' intention to collaborate with physicians to improve medication therapy.

Objective: Norm Balance is an approach under the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) where subjective norm is weighted by the relative importance of others and self-identity is weighted by the relative importance of self. The relative importance was measured previously by a trade-off measure. In this study, we developed separate measures for the relative importance. The study objectives were to: 1) assess the construct validity of the separate measures; 2) examine the approach of Norm Balance in predicting pharmacists' intention to collaborate with physicians to improve medication therapy; and 3) establish a modified TPB. Methods: We selected a random sample of 750 Iowa pharmacists and conducted two surveys. The first survey was to examine intention prediction, and the second survey was to examine behavior prediction by measuring behavior among respondents to the first survey. The relative importance was measured by both the trade-off measure and the separate measures. Exploratory factor analyses were performed for the relative importance of others (separate measures) and subjective norm, and for the relative importance of self (separate measures) and self-identity. Regressions for intention prediction were conducted for TPB with self-identity and the approach of Norm Balance. The same regressions were also conducted for three subgroups according to the median of the relative importance of others (trade-off measure). Moreover, another regression was conducted for behavior prediction. Results: 239 practicing pharmacists responded to the first survey, and 188 responded to the second survey. The separate measures had cross factor loadings, whereas the trade-off measure had low correlations with other constructs. Both regressions for intention prediction explained 75% of the variance, with self-efficacy and attitude being strong predictors. Self-identity was not a predictor in the TPB with self-identify, but self-identity weighted by the relative importance of self was a significant predictor in the approach of Norm Balance. Regression coefficients of subjective norm and self-identify varied across subgroups. The regression for behavior prediction explained 30% of the variance, with intention and self-efficacy being two predictors. Conclusion: The trade-off measure was better than separate measures. The approach of Norm Balance appears to be a better model than the TPB with self-identity to examine pharmacist-physician collaboration.

Pharmacists' Perceptions of Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration-A 2022 Cross-Sectional Survey in Poland.

Patient-centered care requires close collaboration among multiple healthcare professionals, including physician-pharmacist collaboration (especially as a part of pharmaceutical care). This study aimed to assess pharmacists' perceptions of physician-pharmacist collaboration as well as to identify factors associated with the willingness to provide pharmaceutical care services in Poland. This questionnaire-based survey was carried out in 2022 among community pharmacists from one of the largest franchise chain pharmacy networks in Poland. Completed questionnaires were received from 635 community pharmacists (response rate of 47.9%). Almost all the pharmacists agreed with the statement that there is a need for physician-pharmacist collaboration (98.2%), and 94.8% declared that pharmacists can help physicians in patient care and pharmacotherapy. Most pharmacists (80%) believed that physicians were not aware of the competencies of pharmacists resulting from Polish law. Patient education (89.9%), detection of polypharmacy (88%), and detection of interactions between drugs and dietary supplements (85.7%) were the most common tasks in the field of pharmaceutical care that can be provided by a pharmacist. Females were more likely (p < 0.05) to declare the need for physician-pharmacist collaboration. Age and location of the pharmacy were the most important factors (p < 0.05) associated with pharmacists' attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration.

Pharmacist-Physician Split-Shared Visits in a Federally Qualified Health Center: Lessons Learned from a Novel Reimbursement Model using Telehealth.

Introduction: The Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) setting poses unique challenges to reimbursement of services provided by ambulatory care pharmacists; however, recent changes to telemedicine reimbursement have created new opportunities to help overcome these challenges. This article describes the experience and outcomes of the implementation of a novel, pharmacist-physician split-shared telehealth model at AltaMed Medical Group, a large, multi-site FQHC in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Program Development and Implementation: A pilot program for pharmacist-physician split shared tele-visits was launched at one clinic site with one clinical pharmacist and has since been expanded to a total of 6 sites and 5 clinical pharmacists. Prior to this program, clinical pharmacists saw patients for diabetes mellitus (DM) video-conference disease management appointments. With the launch of the pilot program, additional steps were added to pre-existing workflows to create a model in which visits with the clinical pharmacists were followed by an "enhanced visit" with an eligible, billable clinic provider. Outcomes: Average A1c change for all patients in the split-shared model was -1.5%, and average A1c change for program graduates from enrollment through graduation was -3.8%. Evidence from similar services have also been associated with significant increases in revenue from a split-shared model, indicating this design can be a viable option for financial justification of ambulatory care pharmacy services. Conclusion: In the setting of current limitations, we advocate for increased utilization of shared visits and split-shared visits as a viable method to generate revenue and aid in the justification of clinical pharmacy services.

How to effectively promote interprofessional collaboration? - a qualitative study on physicians' and pharmacists' perspectives driven by the theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB) postulates that individuals' behavioral intention is influenced by their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Therefore, it can be used to broaden the understanding of particular behaviors, including healthcare workers' professional activities. METHODS: In this study, we used TPB as a theoretical framework to evaluate semi-structured interviews with pharmacists and physicians to build an understanding of the interprofessional collaboration between them. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with pharmacists and eleven with physicians. The sample of participants comprised a diverse group with varying work experience and workplaces. Data were analyzed independently by two researchers following the thematic analysis method using ATLAS.ti software. Data saturation was set in the absence of new issues arising during the interviews. RESULTS: The content analysis allowed for the determination of six main themes: the relationship between previous experiences and attitudes towards collaboration, pharmacist's role in collaboration, mutual reluctance toward collaboration, the role of decision- and policy-makers, knowledge and qualifications gaps regarding collaboration, and lack of organizational paths. CONCLUSIONS: Despite both physicians and pharmacists displaying positive attitudes towards collaboration may foster their intention to establish a professional partnership, subjective norms (e.g., the lack of appropriate legal regulations) and perceived behavioral control (physicians' lack of awareness about pharmacists' qualifications and the low level of interpersonal skills) might impede the process.

Perceptions of HPV vaccination and pharmacist-physician collaboration models to improve HPV vaccination rates.

BACKGROUND: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States (US), with 12 cancer causing strains. Vaccination rates in the southern US fall below the national average. Pharmacists provide an opportunity to improve vaccination rates. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to 1) identify barriers and facilitators to providing the HPV vaccine and Vaccines for Children (VFC) program participation in pharmacies and clinics, and 2) assess pharmacy staff, clinic staff, and parent perceptions of 3 collaboration models to improve HPV vaccination. METHODS: A developmental formative evaluation was conducted with pharmacy staff, primary care clinic staff, and parents of adolescent children. Interview guides were informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Barriers and facilitators to HPV vaccination and VFC participation were explored. Additionally, acceptability of 3 collaboration models were explored: 1) a shared-responsibility model in which a physician provides the first dose of HPV vaccine with the second provided in the pharmacy, 2) a pharmacy-based model in which a clinic refers patients to the pharmacy to receive both doses, and 3) an insourced model in which pharmacists schedule days to provide the vaccine in the collaborating clinic. RESULTS: Twenty-nine interviews were conducted between August 2019 and June 2020. Both pharmacy and clinic staff had positive views toward the HPV vaccine and vaccinations in general. Pharmacists and physicians reported parental awareness and education as a barrier to HPV vaccination. Counseling about HPV vaccine was reported as being more time-consuming because of the stigma associated with the vaccine. Parents were willing to have their children vaccinated for HPV in the pharmacy but desired their child's physician be involved in the immunization process. The shared-responsibility model was the most favored of the 3 collaboration models. CONCLUSION: Perceptions of the HPV vaccine and vaccination in pharmacies were positive. Collaboration between clinics and pharmacies to improve HPV vaccination rates is viewed positively by pharmacy staff, clinic staff, and parents. This study will guide implementation of pharmacist-physician collaborative models to improve vaccination through pharmacy participation in the VFC program and HPV vaccination.

The Evolving Role and Impact of Integrating Pharmacists into Primary Care Teams: Experience from Ontario, Canada.

The movement to integrate pharmacists into a primary care team-based settings is growing in countries such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In the province of Ontario in Canada, almost 200 pharmacists have positions within interdisciplinary primary care team settings, including Family Health Teams and Community Health Centers. This article provides a narrative review of the evolving roles of pharmacists working in primary care teams, with a focus on evidence from Ontario, as well as drawing from other jurisdictions around the world. Pharmacists within primary care teams are uniquely positioned to facilitate the expansion of the pharmacist's scope of practice, through a collaborative care model that leverages, integrates, and transforms the medication expertise of pharmacists into a reliable asset and resource for physicians, as well as improves the health outcomes for patients and optimizes healthcare utilization.

Evaluation of process indicators of a medication review service between pharmacists and physicians.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Literature have showed inconclusive or contradictory results regarding medication review services effectiveness in optimizing process indicators. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the process indicators of a medication review service between pharmacists and physicians. METHOD: This quasi-experimental study was conducted between March 2013 and February 2014 with patients who were receiving care in a medication review service in a teaching hospital in northeastern Brazil. The main process indicators were number of pharmaceutical consultations; identification and resolution of drug-related problems (DRP) and pharmaceutical interventions that were classified according to type and degree of acceptance. Descriptive statistics were used to report data. The statistical significance of the association between variables was evaluated using the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test. The 95% confidence interval was considered, and differences were deemed statistically significant if P ≤ .05. RESULTS: A total of 146 patients attended the medication review service. The number of consultations per patient ranged from one to five (2.1 ± 1.1). The service identified 366 DRP, most of which were indication (67.5%). Patients who had four to five pharmaceutical consultations were 1.14 times more likely to have their DRP identified (χ2 = 33.83, P < .0001). Of the DRP identified, 183 (42.33%) were resolved. Patients who had between one and two pharmaceutical consultations were 1.22 times more likely not to have their DRP resolved compared with the group with more than three consultations (χ2 = 3.44, P < .05). Of the 173 pharmaceutical interventions made to the medical students and physicians, the majority (98.7%) was accepted. CONCLUSION: The collaborative medication review service optimized the process indicators. Drug-related problems identification and resolution required more than three pharmaceutical consultations. Most of the pharmaceutical interventions were accepted by prescribers. Thus, collaborative medication review services may be fundamental to the construction of more effective and safe health systems.

Identification of critical factors for forming collaborative relationships between physicians and pharmacists.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe strategies that have successfully achieved collaboration among physicians and pharmacists providing comprehensive medication management (CMM) to support development of CMM services. METHODS: A 2-phase, mixed-methods approach was employed to identify successful strategies for building pharmacist-physician relationships in primary care clinic settings. Phase I used a qualitative approach to identify strategies deemed successful in building relationships with physicians. An advisory group of pharmacists with experience building CMM practices assisted in the development of minimum criteria characterizing pharmacists as having strong collaborative relationships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 interviewees meeting established criteria. Researchers coded interview transcripts and identified the resulting strategies. Phase II employed a survey instrument to determine how frequently identified strategies are used and evaluate the relative level of perceived impact of each strategy, which was distributed to a national audience of pharmacists practicing in ambulatory care settings. Responses from pharmacists meeting prespecified criteria were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-three strategies were identified and grouped into 8 themes. In phase II, 104 survey respondents met defined criteria and were eligible to endorse use of identified strategies and rate their relative influence. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-three strategies were identified and grouped into 8 themes to aid pharmacists practicing CMM in developing stronger collaborative relationships with physician colleagues. A national sampling found many of these strategies were employed by a majority of pharmacists, who had found them to be influential in creating collaborative relationships.

Drug Therapy Problem Identification and Resolution by Clinical Pharmacists in a Family Medicine Residency Clinic.

PURPOSE: There are limited data to evaluate the impact of ambulatory clinical pharmacist recommendations on family medicine resident prescribing and monitoring of medications. The purpose of this study is to begin to gain insight in this area by answering the research question, "How many ambulatory clinical pharmacist recommendations for drug therapy problem (DTP) resolution are implemented on the day of a medication therapy management (MTM) visit in an outpatient family medicine residency clinic?" METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of face-to-face MTM encounters conducted by ambulatory clinical pharmacists (including pharmacist residents) from August 1, 2012 to June 30, 2015 at a family medicine residency clinic. Descriptive statistics were conducted to both quantify the number of DTPs identified and resolved on the day of the MTM visit as well as categorize the DTPs. RESULTS: Based on the 728 MTM encounters analyzed, patients were an average of 53.6 years old and took 11.9 medications to treat 5.7 medical conditions. A total of 3057 DTPs were identified in the 728 encounters, of which 1303 were resolved the same day as the MTM visit. This resulted in an average of 4.2 DTPs identified and 2.0 resolved per visit per patient. The most common DTP category identified in this study was the need for additional drug therapy (41.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of the ambulatory clinical pharmacist's DTP resolution recommendations were implemented the same day they were identified, which highlights the strength of team-based patient care and interprofessional collaboration in a residency teaching clinic.

Pharmacist-physician Collaboration Based on Toxicological Analysis in the Treatment of One Case of Ro-denticide Poisoning / 中国药师

Objective:To share the experience of clinical cooperation of physicians and clinical pharmacists in the treatment of one case of rodenticide poisoning. Methods: One case of rodenticide poisoning was early diagnosed by physicians according to the con-sciousness disorder and coagulation dysfunction. Clinical pharmacists participated in the drug treatment actively through providing vita-min K1 at the dose of 30 mg·d-1 as the treatment dose and monitoring the effectiveness. Toxicology analysis was recommended, and 718 ng·ml-1 bromadiolone was found out in the blood samples. According to the long half-life of bromadiolone, the initial duration of treatment was set at 2-3 months, while follow-up plan and final duration of treatment were defined based on coagulation parameters and poison concentration monitoring results. Results:The patient recovered rapidly after hospitalization due to the cooperation of physicians and clinical pharmacists through quickly correcting diagnosis of physicians and actively participating in medication of clinical pharma-cists. After the 3-month treatment, the coagulation parameters of the patient were normal and the patient was discharged with follow-up. Conclusion:The collaboration of physicians and clinical pharmacists leads to the optimal regimen with early, full dose and long course of vitamin K1 therapy.