Survey of Alberta hospital pharmacists' perspectives on additional prescribing authorization.

Purpose: The results of a survey to determine reasons for the slow adoption of prescribing authority by hospital pharmacists in the Canadian province of Alberta are presented.

Methods: A Web-based survey was conducted to elucidate pharmacist perspectives on additional prescribing authorization (APA), which permits independent prescribing by Alberta pharmacists who complete a peer-reviewed application process (at the time of the survey, only 52 hospital pharmacists had been granted APA). The survey elicited demographic data and practice characteristics and explored perspectives on APA and their influence on the decision to apply or not apply for APA.

Results: Approximately 500 pharmacists were invited to participate in the survey, and 314 (63%) responded and met the study inclusion criteria. The perceived relevancy and value of APA to respondents' practice activities and potential benefits such as increased efficiency appear to be important factors motivating pharmacists to apply for APA. A perception that the application process is too lengthy and concerns about potential drawbacks (e.g., increased liability risk, inability to fulfill patient follow-up and documentation requirements) appear to be strong influences on decisions to forgo pursuing APA.

Conclusion: Results of a survey of hospital pharmacists in Alberta suggest that APA is adopted more often by pharmacists whose primary focus is ambulatory care, those with higher levels of education, and those with more colleagues who also have APA. The perceived relevancy and value of APA to practice activities and the potential for increased efficiency and job satisfaction appear to be strong influences on decisions to seek APA.