Background: Pharmacists have been co-located in general practice teams to support the quality use of medicines and optimise patient health outcomes. Evidence of the impact of pharmacist-led activities in Australian general practices is sparse.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the potential outcomes of pharmacist-led activities in Australian general practices.
Objective: To identify perceived factors contributing to pharmacists leaving employment in general practice.
Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with pharmacists who had left employment in general practice within 12 months of commencing (5 pharmacists out of 14 recruited into these roles) in Canberra, Australia. Thematic analysis was undertaken.
Background: Pharmacists have been included in general practice teams to provide non-dispensing services in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) since 2016. Interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness are key considerations in providing high-quality patient care. These concepts have not been well studied following the inclusion of a pharmacist in general practice teams.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
December 2022
As team-based care continues to evolve, pharmacists have been included in general practice teams in many countries, to varying extents, to improve medication use and patient safety. However, evidence on interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of pharmacists in general practice is sparse. This study aimed to compare the extent of interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of general practice pharmacists in Australia with international sites (Canada and the UK), and identify the factors associated with interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmacists have been included in general practice teams to provide non-dispensing services for patients. In Australia, pharmacists' role in general practice has been slowly expanding. However, there is a paucity of research to explore patients' opinions toward pharmacist-led services in general practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The inclusion of pharmacists into general practices in Australia has expanded in recent years. This systematic review aimed to synthesise the literature of qualitative and quantitative studies, and identify the knowledge gaps, related to pharmacists working in general practice in Australia.
Methods: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
The inclusion of pharmacists into general practices has expanded in Australia. However, there is a paucity of research examining interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness after including a pharmacist into the general practice team in primary or community care. This is a protocol for a cross-national comparative mixed-methods study to (i) investigate interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness within the general practice team after employing pharmacists in general practices in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and (ii) to compare interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of pharmacists in general practice across Australia with international sites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Funding is a significant barrier to employing general practice pharmacists.
Objective(s): To explore the feasibility of determining the cost-benefit of pharmacists in Australian general practice.
Methods: Two part-time pharmacists were employed by general practices in Canberra, Australia.
Background Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a common inherited neuropathy where patients may be sensitive to adverse effects of certain medicines; however, information about medication safety in this group of people is limited. Objective This study aimed to investigate the experience of Australian individuals with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in using medications, including perceived impact of drug-induced adverse effects. Secondarily, it aimed to determine whether individuals with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease feel adequately supported to make decisions about medication safety.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF: Asthma is principally managed in general practice. Appropriate prescribing and medication use are essential, so general practice pharmacists appear suitable to conduct asthma management consultations. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the asthma management role of a pharmacist in general practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objectives: Non-dispensing pharmacists are being suggested as a useful addition to the workforce in general practice. The aim of this study was to describe the activities of three general practice pharmacists over six months in a pilot trial.
Method: Three general practices integrated a part-time (15.
Background: Point-of-care tests are characterised through the ability of conducting them near the patient's side without the necessity of a laboratory. They can be applied in different healthcare settings to improve patients' access to testing.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and analytical quality of point-of-care tests performed in the community pharmacy.
Previous studies have found that integrating non-dispensing pharmacists in general practice may improve patient safety, improve patient outcomes, deliver health system efficiencies and generate savings. However, the employment of pharmacists in general practice is not common in Australia. A naturalistic study was conducted in the Australian Capital Territory with three general practices, each employing a part-time pharmacist for 12 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Persons with dementia (PWD) often have complex medication regimens and are at risk of medication problems during the multiple transitions of care experienced as the condition progresses.
Objectives: To explore medication processes in acute care episodes and care transitions for PWD and to make recommendations to improve practice.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted by two pharmacy researchers from a focused purposive sample of fifty-one participants (carers, health professionals, Alzheimer's Australia staff) from urban and rural Australia.
Background: Little is known about the engagement of pharmacy assistants (PA) in public health service provision.
Objective: To explore the experiences of PA participating in a study to determine whether a cash reward, offered to consumers and pharmacy businesses, increased participation in community pharmacy-based chlamydia screening.
Methods: PA experience of the study education and training package, participant recruitment and conducting screening (providing information about chlamydia, specimen collection and handling urine samples) were evaluated using knowledge assessment, a questionnaire and focus groups.
Objective: To investigate the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, adverse effects, and place in therapy of a single application of topical ivermectin 0.5% lotion for head lice treatment.
Data Sources: Literature was obtained by searching MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus (January 1980 to January 2013).
In Australia and elsewhere, chlamydia screening rates for those aged between 16 and 30 years continue to be low. Innovative, age-appropriate approaches are necessary to increase chlamydia screening among this target group to prevent short- and long-term consequences of the infection such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Studies have demonstrated that offering chlamydia screening in community pharmacies may be a useful adjunct to current screening services.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To date, the uptake of chlamydia screening in community pharmacies has been limited. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine if a cash reward, offered to both the provider and the consumer of chlamydia screening, increased the uptake of screening in community pharmacies.
Methods: During 4 weeks in 2011, chlamydia screening and education were offered in four city and two suburban pharmacies to people aged 16-30 years.