TY - JOUR
T1 - Patient-initiated consultations in community pharmacies
AU - Motulsky, Aude
AU - Weir, Daniala L
AU - Liang, ManQing
AU - Lamy, Annabelle
AU - Moreault, Marie-Pierre
AU - Schuster, Tibor
AU - Boulenger, Stéphanie
AU - Paré, Guy
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded by the Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP) . AM receives a salary award from the Fonds de la recherche du Québec – Santé , and was financially supported by the Centre de recherche du CHUM during this study. The sponsor approved the design of the study. The sponsor collaborated with the team for the recruitment of participating pharmacies, by sending an invitation letter to all pharmacies in the province inviting them to participate. They also offered a compensation to participating pharmacies (1500 Can$) for the time dedicated to the project. Only the research team was involved in the selection of the participating pharmacies based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, in the data collection, analysis and interpretation, the writing of the report and in the decision to submit this manuscript. All authors had full access to all of the data collected, and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Funding Information:
This project was funded by the Association qu?b?coise des pharmaciens propri?taires (AQPP). AM receives a salary award from the Fonds de la recherche du Qu?bec ? Sant?, and was financially supported by the Centre de recherche du CHUM during this study. The sponsor approved the design of the study. The sponsor collaborated with the team for the recruitment of participating pharmacies, by sending an invitation letter to all pharmacies in the province inviting them to participate. They also offered a compensation to participating pharmacies (1500 Can$) for the time dedicated to the project. Only the research team was involved in the selection of the participating pharmacies based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, in the data collection, analysis and interpretation, the writing of the report and in the decision to submit this manuscript. All authors had full access to all of the data collected, and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.We would like to thank the three main partners who contributed to this study: the management of the AQPP for its financial support and trust, Carr? Technologies Inc. for developing the mobile app, and CEFRIO for coordinating and carrying out the project in the participating pharmacies. We would also like to extend warm thanks to Ramy Fahmy-Demian, Carole Desrosiers and Marie-?ve Lamoureux at the AQPP for their valuable insights throughout this study. Similarly, we would like to thank the members of the research team who helped carry out this study, including Sabrina Boutin, ?milie Savaria-Archambault, and pharmacy students B?lynda Amarouche, Vanessa Dao, Rapha?l Gagnon-Paradis, Ann-Fr?d?rik Gosselin, Justin Grenier, Marie-Justine Lord, Rimon Mikhail, Fabiano Pandozzi, Jean-David Parent and Genevi?ve Virgili. Heartfelt thanks to Guylaine Leclerc (Universit? Laval) and Isabelle Boisclair (Universit? de Montr?al) for their support through the process of recruiting pharmacy students. Lastly, we extend our sincere thanks to the pharmacist-owners, who served as project leaders in each pharmacy, all the pharmacists who used the mobile app and made this study possible, and all the patients who agreed to participate to this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - BACKGROUND: Mobilizing pharmacists practicing in community pharmacies as a new player in primary care has recently emerged as a cost-effective strategy for clinical consultations related to minor ailments. However, little is known about these consultations initiated by patients. The objectives of this study were to describe patient initiated consultations in community pharmacies, and to estimate the impact of these consultations on care-seeking behaviors of patients.METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in 11 retail pharmacies in Quebec, Canada, from October until December 2017, using two data sources: 1) an application and 2) structured interviews. Pharmacists had to compile all consultations in the app during a 4 week-period. Consenting patients were interviewed on the day of the consultation and one week after. Descriptive statistics on the number of consultations were calculated, as well as on the recommendation and the experience of the patient.RESULTS: A total number of 4994 consultations were entered in the app by 55 pharmacists, with an average of 18 consultations (SD = 7) per pharmacy per day. Of the 900 patients consented to participate to the study, 600 (67%) completed the two interviews. Pharmacists reported that they recommended another healthcare resource to patients (e.g. emergency department (ED), walk-in clinic) in only 15% of cases. In the week following the consultation, 105 (18%) patients reported that they avoided going to the ED as a result of the consultation. Patients in rural regions or consulting in a pharmacy far from a medical clinic were more likely to report avoiding an ED visit as a result of the consultation with the pharmacist.CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that patients are seeking advice from pharmacists for a variety of health care concerns and that pharmacists are able to manage most of these consultations, with a high level of patient satisfaction.
AB - BACKGROUND: Mobilizing pharmacists practicing in community pharmacies as a new player in primary care has recently emerged as a cost-effective strategy for clinical consultations related to minor ailments. However, little is known about these consultations initiated by patients. The objectives of this study were to describe patient initiated consultations in community pharmacies, and to estimate the impact of these consultations on care-seeking behaviors of patients.METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in 11 retail pharmacies in Quebec, Canada, from October until December 2017, using two data sources: 1) an application and 2) structured interviews. Pharmacists had to compile all consultations in the app during a 4 week-period. Consenting patients were interviewed on the day of the consultation and one week after. Descriptive statistics on the number of consultations were calculated, as well as on the recommendation and the experience of the patient.RESULTS: A total number of 4994 consultations were entered in the app by 55 pharmacists, with an average of 18 consultations (SD = 7) per pharmacy per day. Of the 900 patients consented to participate to the study, 600 (67%) completed the two interviews. Pharmacists reported that they recommended another healthcare resource to patients (e.g. emergency department (ED), walk-in clinic) in only 15% of cases. In the week following the consultation, 105 (18%) patients reported that they avoided going to the ED as a result of the consultation. Patients in rural regions or consulting in a pharmacy far from a medical clinic were more likely to report avoiding an ED visit as a result of the consultation with the pharmacist.CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that patients are seeking advice from pharmacists for a variety of health care concerns and that pharmacists are able to manage most of these consultations, with a high level of patient satisfaction.
KW - Accessibility
KW - Clinical consultation
KW - Continuity
KW - Minor ailment
KW - Pharmacy practice
KW - Primary care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081954661&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.03.001
DO - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.03.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 32201106
SN - 1551-7411
VL - 17
SP - 428
EP - 440
JO - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
JF - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
IS - 2
ER -