Patients' opinion of pharmacists and their roles in health care system in Pakistan

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• 作者：Muhammad Umair Khan ; Abdul Nabeel Khan ; Farrukh Rafiq Ahmed ; Zeeshan Feroz ; Syed Ata Rizvi ; Shahjahan Shah ; Rahat Hussain ; Zeeshan Adil
• 关键词：Pharmacist ; Patient ; Perception ; Attitude ; Health care
• 刊名：Journal of Young Pharmacists
• 出版年：September, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：5
• 期：3
• 页码：90-94
• 全文大小：205 K

文摘

Background

Pharmacist-patient association is a decisive component in improving health care system. To offer patient centred services, the pharmacists need to fully understand patients' perspectives and views to meet their needs and expectations.

Objective

To evaluate patients' perception of pharmacist and pharmacy practice in Pakistan.

Methods

A cross sectional study was conducted between July and September 2012 on patients attended out-patient clinic in a teaching hospital of Pakistan. By using raosoft sample size calculator, questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 376 patients. Questionnaire included different section which evaluated the demographic information, frequency and reason of interaction, perception and choice of pharmacy. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS (v.17).

Results

A total of 301, out of 376, surveys returned giving a response rate of 80%. 51.8% (n聽=聽156) participants interacted with pharmacist on regular basis. The major reasons of interaction were drug alternative and drug availability queries (41.5%, n聽=聽125 and 26.2%, n聽=聽79). The finding also showed that 84.1% (n聽=聽253) of participants agreed that pharmacists are important part of health care system. Interestingly, all the patients (n聽=聽301) either agreed or strongly agreed that discount was the major influencing factor on their choice of pharmacy.

Conclusion

The patients' perception of pharmacist in Pakistan was generally positive but their understanding is very primitive as majority of the patients are unaware of pharmaceutical care services. However, they are more devoted to witness such services being practiced in Pakistan. This transition in practice could be brought into certainty by proactive involvement of pharmacists in community setup.