Defining the role of pharmacists in addressing the social determinants of health

As one of the overreaching goals of Healthy People 2030, addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH) to reduce health disparities is a nationwide concern, with objectives informed by interdisciplinary teams of experts. However, there remains much discussion regarding the roles of healthcare providers in addressing SDOH. While current guidance suggests that all members of the healthcare team must be empowered to address SDOH, current guidance explicitly references physicians, nurses, social workers and staff, and do not specifically include pharmacists. While pharmacists are taught about the impact of SDOH in pharmacy curricula, actionable strategies for pharmacists to address SDOH in practice have not been clearly outlined. Pharmacists have multifaceted interactions with patients and may be influential in meeting individual patient needs, identifying social risk factors, and addressing upstream causes of health disparities. This paper proposes a framework for the role of pharmacists in addressing the SDOH through strategies at the patient, practice, and community levels. The concepts presented in this paper are meant to serve as a launch point for discussion and to promote the inclusion of pharmacists in the conversations around sustainable efforts to achieve health equity. This framework is not intended to limit the scope of pharmacists in addressing SDOH – on the contrary, it is our hope that this outline may be used to expand the education of future healthcare professionals regarding their role in addressing the social determinants of health.     

Pharmacy patron perspectives of community pharmacist administered influenza vaccinations

Background

One approach to boost influenza vaccination coverage has been to expand immunization authority. In 2012, the province of Ontario gave community pharmacists the authority to administer the influenza vaccine.

Attitudes towards influenza and uptake of the flu vaccine: A survey of pharmacy staff working in English hospitals

ObjectivesPharmacy staff working in hospitals are at risk of contracting and disseminating influenza. Previous research focuses on community pharmacists’ attitudes towards influenza and vaccination. This survey investigates the beliefs and attitudes of pharmacists and other pharmacy staff working in English Hospitals regarding influenza and the vaccine and how this relates to vaccine uptake.MethodsA self-administered survey was provided to pharmacy staff at three hospitals in the East Midlands of England. Job role, age and vaccination status (vaccinated, intended to be vaccinated, and not vaccinated) were collected alongside ratings of agreement with 20 statements regarding influenza and vaccination using a Likert scale.Results170 pharmacy staff responded; 50.6% had been vaccinated, 17.1% intended to be vaccinated and 32.4% were not vaccinated. Increasing age showed a significant (p = 0.017) positive correlation with increased vaccine uptake as did the beliefs that vaccination protects the individual from influenza (p = 0.049) and that vaccination should be mandatory for NHS staff (p = 0.006). Fear of needles and believing their immune system is strong enough to protect against influenza were negatively correlated with vaccine uptake (p = 0.016 and p = 0.010, respectively). Job role was also strongly correlated with vaccine uptake (p = 0.001), with those holding a pharmacy degree more likely to report being vaccinated or intending to be vaccinated compared to all other pharmacy staff groups.ConclusionsThis is the first survey to focus on vaccine behaviours of all pharmacy staff groups working in hospitals. Current uptake of the influenza vaccine may be increased through engagement of senior pharmacy colleagues and providing education on influenza, vaccines, and vaccination. Similar studies should be undertaken on a larger scale to fully interrogate the differences between pharmacy staff groups.     

Compliance and medication knowledge among elderly Japanese home-care recipients

Objectives: To investigate the risk factors for noncompliance in elderly home-care recipients; and to evaluate to what extent regular home visits and drug counseling by a pharmacist contribute to compliance. Subjects: One hundred and sixty-three elderly home-care recipients aged 62 years and over took part in this study. All subjects were cognitively normal, and taking a regimen of one or more prescribed drugs. Medication use was observed by pharmacist-conducted interviews during home visits. Compliance was estimated by comparing prescribed regimens with medications actually being taken at home. Results: The mean age with (SD) of the subjects was 78.7 (8.3) years. Eighteen per cent were regularly counseled by a pharmacist about medication. Poor compliance with prescribed medications was associated with subjects aged 80 years and over, who were administering their own medication, consuming less than three meals a day, did not have one dose packages, and who were not receiving pharmacist counseling. In multiple logistic regression analyses, frequency of meals (OR 5.99; 95% CI 1.25–28.79), pharmacist counseling (OR 5.32; 95% CI 2.00–14.20), and age (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.92–1.00) were independent predictors of good compliance for home-care recipients with physical disabilities. Compliance correlated inversely with knowledge of drug names, and drug purposes in the uncounseled group. Compliance, however, positively correlated with knowledge of drug purposes in the counseled group. Conclusion: In this study, compliance among elderly Japanese home-care recipients was found to be associated with receiving pharmacist counseling, frequency of meals, and age. Received: 22 June 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 2 December 1998     

《处方管理办法(试行)》实施现状、存在的问题及建议

目的 :促进《处方管理办法 (试行 )》的贯彻实施。方法 :着重分析在贯彻实施《处方管理办法 (试行 )》中医师及药师的法制意识、药学人员的业务素质、电子处方系统存在的不足、处方权的有效性、处方药品名称不规范等问题。结果与结论 :只有多方配合 ,不断完善实施细则 ,以及改革药学教育模式 ,才有可能实现《处方管理办法 (试行 )》规定的内容。     

医院药师继续教育方式初探

目的:探讨医院药师临床医学知识继续教育的途径、方法和收效。方法:采用多媒体和专题讲座形式讲授医学课程,并建立考核制度。结果:在一定程度上弥补了药学人员医学知识的欠缺,为药师服务临床奠定专业基础。结论:在药师中开展继续医学教育方法切实可行,也是弥补当前医药院校临床药学专业毕业生缺乏的一种手段。     

药店药师在岗履职过程中存在的矛盾及对策

目的:探讨药店药师在岗履职过程中存在的矛盾。方法:具体分析现存的矛盾。结果与结论:解决矛盾应注重宣传教育;严格实行药师考核制度,从严管理“挂名药师”;加大监督检查力度,确立有章可循的药师管理制度。     

药师在临床肠外营养治疗中提供药学服务的实践

目的: 探讨药师在肠外营养支持治疗中为临床提供药学服务(PC)的新理念.方法: 从营养制剂遴选、全营养混合液(TNA)的组方、TNA的标准化配制、TNA配制与使用中的药学监控及提供临床医护人员和病人的药学知识咨询等方面来实现全程化药学服务的实践.结果: 药师利用专业知识,深入临床在肠外营养治疗中充分发挥自身的作用,取得了很好的成效.结论: 这是临床药师开展工作的一个切入点,推动了临床药学的发展,同时药师要开展新工作、新研究,为临床提供更加完善的PC.