Antibiotic Prescribing by Digital Health Care Providers as Compared to Traditional Primary Health Care Providers: Cohort Study Using Register Data.

BACKGROUND:  "Direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine" is increasing worldwide and changing the map of primary health care (PHC). Virtual care has increased in the last decade and with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, patients' use of online care has increased even further. In Sweden, online consultations are a part of government-supported health care today, and there are several digital care providers on the Swedish market, which makes it possible to get in touch with a doctor within a few minutes. The fast expansion of this market has raised questions about the quality of primary care provided only in an online setting without any physical appointments. Antibiotic prescribing is a common treatment in PHC. OBJECTIVE:  This study aimed to compare antibiotic prescribing between digital PHC providers (internet-PHC) and traditional physical PHC providers (physical-PHC) and to determine whether prescriptions for specific diagnoses differed between internet-PHC and physical-PHC appointments, adjusted for the effects of attained age at the time of appointment, gender, and time relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS:  Antibiotic prescribing data based on Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) codes were obtained for Region Sörmland residents from January 2020 until March 2021 from the Regional Administrative Office. In total, 160,238 appointments for 68,332 Sörmland residents were included (124,398 physical-PHC and 35,840 internet-PHC appointments). Prescriptions issued by internet-PHC or physical-PHC physicians were considered. Information on the appointment date, staff category serving the patient, ICD-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision) diagnosis codes, ATC codes of prescribed medicines, and patient-attained age and gender were used. RESULTS:  A total of 160,238 health care appointments were registered, of which 18,433 led to an infection diagnosis. There were large differences in gender and attained age distributions among physical-PHC and internet-PHC appointments. Physical-PHC appointments peaked among patients aged 60-80 years while internet-PHC appointments peaked at 20-30 years of age for both genders. Antibiotics with the ATC codes J01A-J01X were prescribed in 9.3% (11,609/124,398) of physical-PHC appointments as compared with 6.1% (2201/35,840) of internet-PHC appointments. In addition, 61.3% (6412/10,454) of physical-PHC infection appointments resulted in antibiotic prescriptions, as compared with only 25.8% (2057/7979) of internet-PHC appointments. Analyses of the prescribed antibiotics showed that internet-PHC followed regional recommendations for all diagnoses. Physical-PHC also followed the recommendations but used a wider spectrum of antibiotics. The odds ratio of receiving an antibiotic prescription (after adjustments for attained age at the time of appointment, patient gender, and whether the prescription was issued before or during the COVID-19 pandemic) during an internet-PHC appointment was 0.23-0.39 as compared with a physical-PHC appointment. CONCLUSIONS:  Internet-PHC appointments resulted in a significantly lower number of antibiotics prescriptions than physical-PHC appointments, adjusted for the large differences in the characteristics of patients who consult internet-PHC and physical-PHC. Internet-PHC prescribers showed appropriate prescribing according to guidelines.

Education Satisfaction among Pharmacy Graduates in Sweden.

Education satisfaction is considered important for development of a professional identity and to increase learning. The aim was to investigate and compare education satisfaction over time among pharmacists who have graduated from the pharmacy programs at Umeå University, Sweden. Data concerning education satisfaction were collected using an alumni survey of pharmacists who graduated between 2015 and 2018. This was compared with pharmacists graduating between 2006 and 2014. The majority of the pharmacy graduates were very satisfied with their education (96%) and thought that the programs gave them a clear professional identity (92%). No differences in education satisfaction between graduation years 2015 and 2018 and 2006 and 2014 were found. A majority of the graduates considered that the knowledge and skills acquired during their education were useful in their present job (83%). Of the graduates who thought that the studies gave them a clear professional identity, a higher proportion were satisfied with their job (p < 0.001) and thought that their work duties reflected their studies (p = 0.005). Exploring education satisfaction may help educators to further develop the education and to better prepare the students for their professional working life.

Nordic Pharmacy Students' Opinions of their Patient Communication Skills Training.

Objective. To describe Nordic pharmacy students' opinions of their patient communication skills training (PCST), and the association between course leaders' reports of PCST qualities and students' perceptions of their training. Secondary objective was to determine what factors influence these associations. Methods. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was performed. The various curricula were categorized into three types (basic, intermediate and innovative training) and students were divided into three groups according to the type of training they had received. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted with different opinions as outcomes and three types of training as exposure, using generalized estimation equations. Results. There were 370 students who responded (response rate: 77%). Students within the innovative group were significantly more likely to agree that they had received sufficient training, and to agree with the assertion that the pharmacy school had contributed to their level of skills compared to students in the basic group. Conclusion. There appears to be an association between larger and varied programs of training in patient communication skills and positive attitudes toward this training on the part of the students, with students reporting that they received sufficient training, which likely enhanced their skills.

Pharmacists' satisfaction with their work: Analysis of an alumni survey.

BACKGROUND: The level of job satisfaction among practicing pharmacists is important because it has been found to affect job performance and employee turnover. The Swedish pharmacy market has undergone major changes in recent years, and little is known about pharmacists' job satisfaction. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the level of job satisfaction and associated factors among graduates from the web-based pharmacy programs at Umeå University. METHODS: Job satisfaction of pharmacists was measured as part of an alumni survey conducted with those who graduated from the pharmacy programmes between 2006 and 2014. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, and logistic regression was used to explore factors affecting job satisfaction. RESULTS: The total number of graduates who completed the survey was 222 (response rate 43%.) The majority of respondents were female (95%), and most were employed at a community pharmacy (85%). The mean age was 39.7 years. The majority of graduates (91%) were satisfied with their job "most of the time" or "all of the time", and 87% of the respondents would "definitely" or "maybe" choose the same career again. The multivariate analysis showed that increasing years in the current position (OR: 0.672 (0.519-0.871)) was associated with lower job satisfaction. Older age (OR: 1.123 (1.022-1.234)), the perception that the knowledge and skills acquired during university education is useful in the current job (OR: 4.643 (1.255-17.182)) and access to continuing professional development (OR: 9.472 (1.965-45.662)) were associated with higher job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Most graduates from the web-based pharmacy programmes were satisfied with their current job. Access to continuing professional development seems to be important for the level of job satisfaction among pharmacists.

Nordic Pharmacy Schools' Experience in Communication Skills Training.

Objective. To assess communication skills training at Nordic pharmacy schools and explore ways for improvement. Methods. E-mail questionnaires were developed and distributed with the aim to explore current practice and course leaders' opinions regarding teaching of patient communication skills at all the 11 master level Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) pharmacy schools. The questionnaires contained both closed- and open-ended questions. Results. There was a variation of patient communication skills training among schools. In general, communication skills training was included in one to five courses (mode 1); varied in quantity (6-92 hours); had low use of experiential training methods; and had challenges regarding assessments and acquiring sufficient resources. However, some schools had more focus on such training. Conclusion. The results show room for improvement in patient communication skills training in most Nordic pharmacy schools and give insights into how to enhance communication skill building in pharmacy curricula. Suggestions for improving the training include: early training start, evidence-based frameworks, experiential training, and scaffolding.

Communications training in pharmacy education, 1995-2010.

The role of the pharmacist as a "communicator" of information and advice between patients, other healthcare practitioners, and the community is recognized as a vital component of the responsibilities of a practicing pharmacist. Pharmacy education is changing to reflect this, although the difficulty is in designing a curriculum that is capable of equipping students with the necessary knowledge and skills, using activities that are effective in promoting communication competency. The objective of this review was to identify published, peer-reviewed articles concerning communication training in pharmacy education programs, and describe which communication skills the structured learning activities aimed to improve and how these learning activities were assessed. A systematic literature search was conducted and the articles found were analyzed and divided into categories based on specific communication skills taught and type of learning activity used. Oral interpersonal communication skills targeted at patients were the most common skill-type described, followed by clinical writing skills. Common teaching methods included simulated and standardized patient interactions and pharmacy practice experience courses. Most educational interventions were assessed by subjective measures. Many interventions were described as fragments, in isolation of other learning activities that took place in a course, which impedes complete analysis of study results. To succeed in communication training, integration between different learning activities and progression within pharmacy educations are important.

Swedish students' and preceptors' perceptions of what students learn in a six-month advanced pharmacy practice experience.

OBJECTIVE: To identify what pharmacy students learn during the 6-month advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in Sweden. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 pharmacy APPE students and 17 pharmacist preceptors and analyzed in a qualitative directed content analysis using a defined workplace learning typology for categories. RESULTS: The Swedish APPE provides students with task performance skills for work at pharmacies and social and professional knowledge, such as teamwork, how to learn while in a work setting, self-evaluation, understanding of the pharmacist role, and decision making and problem solving skills. Many of these skills and knowledge are not accounted for in the curricula in Sweden. Using a workplace learning typology to identify learning outcomes, as in this study, could be useful for curricula development. CONCLUSIONS: Exploring the learning that takes place during the APPE in a pharmacy revealed a broad range of skills and knowledge that students acquire.

Factors associated with reflection among students after an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: To identify individual and social factors associated with pharmacy students' level of reflection in an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE). METHODS: A postal questionnaire, including a reflective assignment, was sent to all pharmacy interns (n=262) at Uppsala University, Sweden, for 4 semesters in 2005-2007. RESULTS: In a univariate analysis, 7 factors were found to be associated with students' level of reflection. After controlling for covariates, 3 social factors were found to be independently associated with reflection: having a formal preceptor (OR=5.3), being at a small pharmacy (OR=19.8), and students' perception of the importance of discussing critical thinking with the preceptor (OR=1.2). No correlation could be observed between level of reflection and critical thinking, nor learning style. CONCLUSION: Social components seem to be of higher importance than individual components in students' reflective levels after pharmacy internship experience. Trained preceptors are important to foster reflection skills.

A categorization scheme for assessing pharmacy students' levels of reflection during internships.

OBJECTIVE: To test the reliability, feasibility, and responsiveness of a categorization scheme for assessing pharmacy students' levels of reflection during internships. METHODS: Pharmacy interns at Uppsala University were asked to write a reflective essay about patient counseling at the start and end of their internships. A modified version of Kember's categorization scheme for assessing the level of reflection was used to evaluate these essays. RESULTS: Based on their essay scores, the students' levels of reflection increased during the internship course (p < 0.001) The mean time for categorization was 3 minutes per essay. The interrater reliability of the 182 essays was kappa = 0.63. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of the categorization scheme showed that it has good interrater reliability, feasibility, and responsiveness. This scheme might be useful in pharmacy practice educational settings, but needs further validation.