Cost-effectiveness analysis of genotype-guided optimization of major depression treatment in Qatar.

Background: Pharmacogenetic testing improves the efficacy and safety of antidepressant pharmacotherapy for moderate-severe major depressive disorder by identifying genetic variations that influence medication metabolism, and adjusting treatment regimens accordingly. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of implementing a pharmacogenetic testing approach to guide the prescription of antidepressants.

Methods: From the public hospital perspective, we developed a two-stage decision tree diagram of a short-term 6-week follow up, and a lifetime Markov model with 3-month cycles.

Patients' insights into unused medications during the COVID-19 outbreak: A qualitative study.

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak had significant global healthcare implications, including the use of medications. This is specifically evident in the surge in use of some medication and a decline in the use of others. As a result, some medications end up unused, which may have subsequent health, economic, and environmental impacts.

Patients' knowledge, attitude, and practices toward unused medications in Qatar: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Global evidence has linked unused medications and their inappropriate disposal to adverse health, economic, environmental, and ethical impacts. However, such evidence is scarce in Qatar. This study explored patients' knowledge and attitude toward unused medications and their practices toward medication supply and disposal (KAP) in Qatar.

QPGx-CARES: Qatar pharmacogenetics clinical applications and research enhancement strategies.

Pharmacogenetic (PGx)-informed medication prescription is a cutting-edge genomic application in contemporary medicine, offering the potential to overcome the conventional "trial-and-error" approach in drug prescription. The ability to use an individual's genetic profile to predict drug responses allows for personalized drug and dosage selection, thereby enhancing the safety and efficacy of treatments. However, despite significant scientific and clinical advancements in PGx, its integration into routine healthcare practices remains limited.

A cost-effectiveness analysis for high versus standard (low) dose caffeine for the treatment of apnea in neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: Preterm babies are prone to experiencing apnea of prematurity (AOP), mostly characterised by a pause in breathing lasting a minimum of 20 seconds. Recent literature supported higher maintenance doses of caffeine, indicating benefits. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of high maintenance dose (HD) versus low maintenance dose (LD) caffeine for AOP in neonates.

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and associated cost of acute poisoning: a retrospective study.

Introduction: Poisoning is a major public health issue and a leading cause of admission to the emergency department (ED). There is a paucity of data describing the epidemiology and cost of acute poisoning. Therefore, this study investigated the epidemiology, patterns, and associated costs of acute poisoning in emergency department of the largest tertiary care healthcare centre in Qatar.

Early predictors of intensive care unit admission among COVID-19 patients in Qatar.

Background: COVID-19 is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to explore the early predictors of intensive care unit (ICU) admission among patients with COVID-19.

Methods: This was a case-control study of adult patients with confirmed COVID-19.

The cost associated with the development of the antimicrobial stewardship program in the adult general medicine setting in Qatar.

Objective: To estimate the economic impact of the developed antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) versus the preliminary ASP use, in the adults' general medicine settings in Qatar.

Methods: Patient records were retrospectively reviewed during two periods: preliminary ASP was defined as the 12 months following ASP implementation (i.e.

Cost‑effectiveness of add‑on dapagliflozin for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients without diabetes.

Aim: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin added to standard of care (SoC) versus SoC in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients from the Qatari healthcare perspective.

Materials And Methods: A lifetime Markov model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding dapagliflozin to SoC based on the findings of Petrie et al. 2020, which were based on the DAPA-HF trial.

Exploring determinants of antimicrobial prescribing behaviour using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Background: Few theoretically-based, qualitative studies have explored determinants of antimicrobial prescribing behaviour in hospitals. Understanding these can promote successful development and implementation of behaviour change interventions (BCIs).

Objective: (s): To use the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to explore determinants of clinicians' antimicrobial prescribing behaviour, identifying barriers (i.

Clinical pharmacists' interventions for preventing adverse events in critically ill neonates in Qatar: an economic impact analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the overall economic impact of clinical pharmacist interventions in the neonatal ICU (NICU) in Qatar.

Methods: A retrospective review of neonates' records was performed over a 3-month duration in the NICU of Qatar to determine the total economic benefit of clinical pharmacist interventions. The total benefit of interventions was calculated by considering the cost avoidance due to preventable adverse drug events (ADEs) and the cost savings associated with the revised resource use due to interventions.

Emergency pharmacy workforce views and experience related to the provision of pharmaceutical care during mass gathering events: the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ experience.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore emergency pharmacy workforce perspectives and experiences in providing pharmaceutical care during mass gathering events (i.e., FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™).

Behaviour and associated determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and advocacy: a nationwide survey of pharmacy professionals in Qatar.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy poses a global challenge and is acknowledged to be a complex, multifactorial phenomenon. Of particular concern is hesitancy among health professionals, as this may also impact their advocacy roles. There is a lack of theory-based investigations of pharmacy professionals.

Characteristics and outcomes of adult patients with asthma presenting with COVID-19: A comparative cohort study.

Background: Bronchial asthma affects about 20% of Qatar's population. The impact of asthma on COVID-19 outcomes is controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of asthma on COVID-19 outcomes and the predictors of COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality in a cohort of asthma patients infected by COVID-19.

University students' and educators' perceptions on the use of digital and social media platforms: A sentiment analysis and a multi-country review.

Due to Covid-19, an inevitable restructuring of higher education teaching and learning pedagogies ensuring the continuous and effective learning of students is deemed important. Despite such vitality, a prevalent disparity worldwide on the usages and gains of digital and social media integration is still noticeable. Following a Scoping Literature Review and using the software for a Grounded Theory qualitative analysis, this study aims to ascertain the significance of digital and social media tools during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Investigating physicians' views on non-formulary prescribing: a qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework.

Background: Well-designed and well-maintained drug formularies serve as a reliable resource to guide prescribing decisions; they are associated with improved medicine safety and increased efficiency, while also serving as a cost-effective tool to help manage and predict medicine expenditure. Multiple studies have investigated the inappropriate prescribing of non-formulary drugs (NFDs) with statistics indicating that up to 70% of NFD usage being inappropriate or not following the ascribed NFD policies.

Aim: To explore physicians' views and influences on their prescribing of non-formulary drugs.

Implications of the medication regimen complexity index score on hospital readmissions in elderly patients with heart failure: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The likelihood of elderly patients with heart failure (HF) being readmitted to the hospital is higher if they have a higher medication regimen complexity index (MRCI) compared to those with a lower MRCI. The objective of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between the MRCI score and the frequency of hospital readmissions (30-day, 90-day, and 1-year) among elderly patients with HF.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, MRCI scores were calculated using a well-established tool.

Economic impact of clinical pharmacist interventions in a general tertiary hospital in Qatar.

Background: With an increasingly strained health system budgets, healthcare services need to continually demonstrate evidence of economic benefits. This study sought to evaluate the economic impact of interventions initiated by clinical pharmacists in an adult general tertiary hospital.

Methods: A retrospective review of clinical pharmacist interventions was carried out throughout follow-up durations in March 2018, July/August 2018, and January 2019 in Hamad General Hospital (HGH) at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar.

Disaster Preparedness Amongst Emergency Pharmacists for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess the level of preparedness of pharmacists working in the emergency department at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) for any emergency disasters that may take place during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ by evaluating their awareness (A), attitude (A), and readiness (R).

Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative observational study was conducted through a web-based survey. The survey was distributed among emergency pharmacists working in general hospitals under HMC.

Cost savings and cost avoidance with the inpatient clinical pharmacist interventions in a tertiary cancer care hospital.

Background: The economic benefit of the clinical pharmacist's role in ensuring the optimum use of medicines is potentially considerable, particularly when it comes to cancer management. We sought to evaluate the overall economic impact of clinical pharmacist interventions in the main cancer setting in Qatar.

Methods: The total economic benefit of the clinical pharmacy interventions were analyzed from the public hospital perspective.

Applying value-based strategies to accelerate access to novel cancer medications: guidance from the Oncology Health Economics Expert Panel in Qatar (Q-OHEP).

Background: In line with global trends, cancer incidence and mortality may have decreased for specific types of cancer in Qatar. However, the cancer-related burden on patients, healthcare systems, and the economy is expected to expand; thus, cancer remains a significant public healthcare issue in Qatar. Qatar's free access to cancer care represents a considerable economic burden.

A scoping review of theories used to investigate clinician adherence to clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Routine utilization of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) is an effective strategy to optimize patient care and reduce practice variation. Healthcare professionals' failure to adhere to CPGs introduces risks to both patients and the sustainability of healthcare systems. The integration of theory to investigate adherence provides greater insight into the often complex reasons for suboptimal behaviors.

Perspectives of clinical pharmacists on the provision of pharmaceutical care through telepharmacy services during COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar: A focus group.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created unprecedented pressures on healthcare systems and led to the widespread adoption of telepharmacy services, a practice that was not previously established in the state of Qatar.

Objective: The -study aimed to explore clinical pharmacists' (CPs) perspectives and experiences in utilizing telepharmacy for the provision of pharmaceutical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A descriptive, qualitative approach using face-to-face focus group (FG) discussions was used.