Over-the counter (OTC) medicines are used commonly for treating minor illnesses. Even though most Canadians believe that OTC medicines are safe and effective, they can pose some risk through side effects and interactions if people do not take them with due care. With notable exceptions, people in Canada can purchase OTC medicines from pharmacies or non-pharmacy outlets such as convenience stores. Global trends in medicine-related legislation are leading to more of these products ending up in retail outlets other than pharmacies. Therefore, understanding public attitudes involving OTC medicine is becoming more and more important. Public expectations of OTC medicines in relation to location of sale were investigated in this study. It was hypothesized that the product buying public would perceive medicines differently based on where they are sold. <p>Adult Saskatoon residents over 18 years old (n = 2547) were randomly selected from a telephone registry. Advance letters were initially mailed to them, followed by a ten page questionnaire and two reminder letters. Non-response letters were only sent to subjects who did not reply after two reminders. Subjects were asked to indicate what attributes (effectiveness, safety, potency, side effect propensity, price, etc.) they would expect from OTC medicines depending on where they were purchased pharmacies versus convenience stores. The usable response rate was 57.5 percent. Almost every participant (96.1 percent) had bought OTC medicines from pharmacies. Most respondents (80.7 percent) were aware that OTC medicines could be purchased in convenience stores; however, only 42.2 percent of respondents had purchased OTC medicines from such locations. Significantly different expectations for the two locations were seen for product variety and quality, price, and ability to get help. Pharmacies should have a better selection of products and be of better quality than these OTC medicines sold in convenience stores. Public expectations for OTC product potency, safety, effectiveness, propensity for side effects, and package information did not differ across locations. The findings of this study suggest that location of sale has minimal effect on Saskatoon residents expectations of OTC medicines along clinical attributes. Saskatoon residents also appear to have healthy attitudes regarding OTC medicines and realize care is needed during their use. This may have implications in how people use such products after they are purchased and may be important for how they are scheduled for the Canadian marketplace.

<p>In 1999, Saskatchewan Health sanctioned licensed pharmacists in the province to initiate Exception Drug Status (EDS), also referred to as prior approval, requests on behalf of their patients. The objectives of this study were to obtain pharmacists opinions about the benefits of the EDS program to stakeholders, and to identify factors associated with pharmacists initiating a request.</p><p>In the fall of 2004, a census of community-pharmacy managers in Saskatchewan was conducted using a postal questionnaire, consisting of an introductory letter, two survey mailings and one reminder card. The questionnaire consisted primarily of seven-point Likert scale questions, and was analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequencies, followed by non-parametric analysis using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests; post-hoc analysis was carried out using the Bonferroni test.</p><p>A response rate of 82.6% was achieved. Those living in Saskatoon or Regina made up 39% of respondents, with another 39% located in centres of less than 5,000 people.</p><p>A majority of respondents (63%) agreed or strongly agreed the EDS program benefited patients and the Drug Plan (64%). Only 15%, 37% and 39% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed EDS benefits pharmacists, physicians and the health care system respectively.</p><p>Factors that were important or very important to pharmacists in deciding whether they would initiate an EDS request on behalf of their patient were: the ability of the pharmacist to obtain the required information to initiate the EDS request (77%); their ability to contact the prescribing physician (70%); and patient centred concerns such as the ability to pay (74%) or the patient had exceeded their deductible (66%). However, time (39%) was not as important relative to other factors in whether the pharmacist would apply for EDS on behalf of their patient.</p><p>The majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that changing the policy in 1999 was beneficial to patient care (71%), while it also contributed substantially to their administrative workload (87%). </p><p>The results of this study indicate community pharmacy managers in Saskatchewan acknowledge that the Exception Drug Status process is beneficial for their patients. While pharmacists were supportive of the benefits of an EDS program, their apprehensions towards the program lie in the administrative processes, particularly in obtaining the required information, from physicians, to submit a claim. There is also concern with the methods pharmacists must use to apply for EDS, which can be burdensome and prolong the administrative process.</p><p>To enhance pharmacists support for the program it may be necessary to develop strategies designed to reduce the administrative workload associated with the program, and to streamline the efficient communication of required information between the prescriber and pharmacist. Alternatively, financial compensation to pharmacists for their expertise and efforts might be considered; although this would not address the workload and communication concerns of pharmacists, it does provide recognition for their professional role in securing appropriate drug therapy for their patients.

Over-the counter (OTC) medicines are used commonly for treating minor illnesses. Even though most Canadians believe that OTC medicines are safe and effective, they can pose some risk through side effects and interactions if people do not take them with due care. With notable exceptions, people in Canada can purchase OTC medicines from pharmacies or non-pharmacy outlets such as convenience stores. Global trends in medicine-related legislation are leading to more of these products ending up in retail outlets other than pharmacies. Therefore, understanding public attitudes involving OTC medicine is becoming more and more important. Public expectations of OTC medicines in relation to location of sale were investigated in this study. It was hypothesized that the product buying public would perceive medicines differently based on where they are sold. <p>Adult Saskatoon residents over 18 years old (n = 2547) were randomly selected from a telephone registry. Advance letters were initially mailed to them, followed by a ten page questionnaire and two reminder letters. Non-response letters were only sent to subjects who did not reply after two reminders. Subjects were asked to indicate what attributes (effectiveness, safety, potency, side effect propensity, price, etc.) they would expect from OTC medicines depending on where they were purchased pharmacies versus convenience stores. The usable response rate was 57.5 percent. Almost every participant (96.1 percent) had bought OTC medicines from pharmacies. Most respondents (80.7 percent) were aware that OTC medicines could be purchased in convenience stores; however, only 42.2 percent of respondents had purchased OTC medicines from such locations. Significantly different expectations for the two locations were seen for product variety and quality, price, and ability to get help. Pharmacies should have a better selection of products and be of better quality than these OTC medicines sold in convenience stores. Public expectations for OTC product potency, safety, effectiveness, propensity for side effects, and package information did not differ across locations. The findings of this study suggest that location of sale has minimal effect on Saskatoon residents expectations of OTC medicines along clinical attributes. Saskatoon residents also appear to have healthy attitudes regarding OTC medicines and realize care is needed during their use. This may have implications in how people use such products after they are purchased and may be important for how they are scheduled for the Canadian marketplace.

<p>In 1999, Saskatchewan Health sanctioned licensed pharmacists in the province to initiate Exception Drug Status (EDS), also referred to as prior approval, requests on behalf of their patients. The objectives of this study were to obtain pharmacists opinions about the benefits of the EDS program to stakeholders, and to identify factors associated with pharmacists initiating a request.</p><p>In the fall of 2004, a census of community-pharmacy managers in Saskatchewan was conducted using a postal questionnaire, consisting of an introductory letter, two survey mailings and one reminder card. The questionnaire consisted primarily of seven-point Likert scale questions, and was analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequencies, followed by non-parametric analysis using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests; post-hoc analysis was carried out using the Bonferroni test.</p><p>A response rate of 82.6% was achieved. Those living in Saskatoon or Regina made up 39% of respondents, with another 39% located in centres of less than 5,000 people.</p><p>A majority of respondents (63%) agreed or strongly agreed the EDS program benefited patients and the Drug Plan (64%). Only 15%, 37% and 39% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed EDS benefits pharmacists, physicians and the health care system respectively.</p><p>Factors that were important or very important to pharmacists in deciding whether they would initiate an EDS request on behalf of their patient were: the ability of the pharmacist to obtain the required information to initiate the EDS request (77%); their ability to contact the prescribing physician (70%); and patient centred concerns such as the ability to pay (74%) or the patient had exceeded their deductible (66%). However, time (39%) was not as important relative to other factors in whether the pharmacist would apply for EDS on behalf of their patient.</p><p>The majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that changing the policy in 1999 was beneficial to patient care (71%), while it also contributed substantially to their administrative workload (87%). </p><p>The results of this study indicate community pharmacy managers in Saskatchewan acknowledge that the Exception Drug Status process is beneficial for their patients. While pharmacists were supportive of the benefits of an EDS program, their apprehensions towards the program lie in the administrative processes, particularly in obtaining the required information, from physicians, to submit a claim. There is also concern with the methods pharmacists must use to apply for EDS, which can be burdensome and prolong the administrative process.</p><p>To enhance pharmacists support for the program it may be necessary to develop strategies designed to reduce the administrative workload associated with the program, and to streamline the efficient communication of required information between the prescriber and pharmacist. Alternatively, financial compensation to pharmacists for their expertise and efforts might be considered; although this would not address the workload and communication concerns of pharmacists, it does provide recognition for their professional role in securing appropriate drug therapy for their patients.

A Study on Professional Role of the Clinic Pharmacist in Taiwan Abstract To lower the cost and enhance the quality of medical service, the Government implemented the National Health Insurance in 1995, and the system of Separation of Medicine and Pharmacy in 1997. However, the separation caused both sides of doctor and pharmacist to ignite a vigorous battle in striving and competing for dispensing right. Thus made the government to adopt a regionalized and phased parallel system to execute the separation . In other words, local medical doctors can either hire pharmacists to fill the prescriptions in the clinics or hand the prescriptions to patients and have the prescriptions filled in drugstores. This study chose quantitative method to explore the role of clinic pharmacist, and to further explore the relation between the separation of the two services and the professional role of pharmacists. Questionnaires were distributed to all clinic doctors and pharmacists in the city of Kaohsiung, the results were collected as the resource of important evidentiary data. Through Gap Analysis¡Bt test¡BMultivariate Analysis of Variance¡Band Pearson Correlation, we¡¦ve come to the following findings: there is indeed a gap between doctors and pharmacists regarding the understanding and recognition toward the professional role of pharmacist, especially to the ability in providing medication consultation demonstrated by pharmacist; contrary opinions were held by the two sides regarding the separation of the two services, the position of clinic pharmacists, as well as the importance of and support to patients¡¦ right in knowing the medication they are taking, physicians even consider the hiring of pharmacists is only for fulfilling the requirement of the National Health Insurance System; the recognition between doctors and pharmacists to pharmacist¡¦s professional role (patients medicating instruction, ability in providing medication consultation, and double-checking of physician¡¦s prescription) is actually related in proportion with their attitudes toward the separation of Medicine and Pharmacy ,and the position of clinic pharmacists. It is hoped that the conclusion of this study is helpful in improving the understanding between physicians and pharmacists, thus alleviate the long-term conflict in the issue, enhance mutual respect to professional right, point out a crisp direction for the Government to follow when designing and promoting the system of the Separation of Medicine and Pharmacy. Key words: Separation of Medicine and Pharmacy, Clinic Pharmacist Professional Role

No description available.

The thesis analyzes the political and scientific rhetoric used to enact pharmacist refusal clauses. I examine how refusal clauses are rhetorically framed in politics as well as the "scientific" rhetoric advocates use to generate support for these laws. Additionally, I highlight the consequences these clauses have for women.Chapter one focuses on the political discourse of refusal clauses. I develop an analysis of the phrase "conscience" versus "refusal" clause. I expose how pharmacists and refusal clause advocates make discrimination claims using Cindy Patton as a theoretical framework. Finally, I examine "refusal narratives" from women who have been denied contraceptives by pharmacists. The second chapter analyzes "scientific" rhetorical strategies. Refusal clause advocates rhetorically reclassify contraceptives as an abortion method. I will discuss how this strategy of reclassification has wide implications on public policy. In the conclusion I present the negative consequences refusal clauses have on women.

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY: The objective of the study was to examine the quality of interactions occurring between pharmacists and clients, the facilitators and barriers shaping the way pharmacists communicate with clients, and the use of client satisfaction ratings as an outcome measure for pharmacist-client communication. METHODS AND MEASURES: Verbal exchanges between consenting pharmacists (n=100) and clients (n=786) were audio-recorded during four-hour, on-site, observation periods. Clients rated their interaction with the pharmacist using an 11-item Client Satisfaction Rating instrument, while pharmacists completed a questionnaire examining the factors predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing their communication with clients. Subsequent to data collection, an expert panel listened to the audiotapes and rated the quality of the interactions using a 9-item Quality of Communication rating scale. FINDINGS: The mean overall expert rating for the pharmacist-client interactions was 4.0 (out of 7), and represented a "satisfactory" rating. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing variables measured in the Pharmacists' Questionnaire accounted for 19% of the variance in pharmacists' technical quality scores. Client satisfaction ratings and expert ratings of communication quality were modestly correlated (r=0.14; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: While the 60% of consultations in this study met or exceeded the mandated communication requirements of pharmacy practice, pharmacists were uniformly weakest in their client assessment skills and in their discussions of medication precautions and non-pharmacologic approaches to symptom management. Most pharmacists in the study reported being highly predisposed to communicating with their clients, but many lacked the reinforcing factors, and to a lesser degree, enabling factors that are considered necessary to sustain quality communication in the workplace. Client satisfaction ratings were positively skewed with little variability, making it difficult to detect a relationship between the expert and client ratings. Reasons why the study was unable to capture more of the variance in its proposed relationships are provided, as well as areas for future research. KEY WORDS: pharmacist-client communication, client satisfaction, quality

Tikslas: Ištirti ir įvertinti vaistininko darbo ypatybes dirbant su augaliniais vaistiniais preparatais. Metodika: Tyrimas buvo atliktas pasirinkus anketavimo metodą, dviem etapais: 2007-2009 m. ir 2012-20014 m, respondentams pateikiant tas pačias neatnaujintas anketas, siekiant išsiaiškinti, kaip pakito vaistininko darbo ypatybės dirbant su augaliniais vaistiniais preparatais. Tyrimo metu, kiekvienu laikotarpiu, apklausta po 135 vaistininkus, t.y. po vieną vaistininką iš vaistinės. Gauti anketinės apklausos duomenys buvo analizuojami SPSS programos 17 versija. Grafikai ir lentelės sudarytos naudojant Microsoft Office Excel 2007 programą. Anketą sudarė 24 klausimai. Rezultatai: atlikę apklausą nustatėme, pacientai yra įspėjami dėl nepageidaujamų reakcijų ar pašalinio poveikio. Įspėjimų skaičius nuo 2007-2009 m. iki 2012-2014 m. išaugo 10%. Specialios literatūros skaitymas farmacijos specialistams yra vis dar populiariausias būdas atnaujinti savo žinias, taip manė 2007-2009 m. 77% apklaustųjų vaistininkų, o 2012-2014 m.- 70%. Dauguma žmonių į vaistinę ateina iš anksto apsisprendę, kokio vaisto jiems reikia. Šiam apsisprendimui didžiausią įtaką daro klientų giminės, draugai ar pažįstami, iš kurių ir gaunama daugiausiai žinių apie augalinius preparatus. Dažniausiai vaistinėje perkami augalinės kilmės preparatai skirti peršalimo ligoms gydyti. Išvados: 1. Augalinės kilmės preparatai, įskaitant arbatas, populiarėja kaip pirmo pasirinkimo vaistas, siūlomas vaistinėse... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim: To research and evaluate job characteristics of a pharmacist working with herbal medicine. Methods: The study was conducted in two stages using a questionnaire method: in 2007-2009 and 2012-2014 the respondents were given the same questionnaires in order to determine how job characteristics of a pharmacist working with herbal medicine had changed during this time period. In both periods of time of the study 135 pharmacies were interviewed. The questionnaire data were analyzed using a program SPSS 17. Graphs and tables were created using Microsoft Office Excel 2007. The questionnaire consisted of 24 questions. Results: The survey revealed that patients are warned on the adverse reactions or side effects. The number of warnings from 2007-2009 to 2012-2014 has increased by 10%. Reading of specialized literature for pharmaceutical professionals is still the most popular way to update their knowledge: so thought by 77% in 2007-2009 and by 70% in 2012-2014 of pharmacists surveyed. Most people come to a pharmacy having already decided what kind of medicine they need. This decision is mainly formed by their relatives, friends or acquaintances from whom the most information about herbal medicine is obtained. The most commonly purchased are plant-based medicines for treating the common cold. Findings: 1. Medical herbal preparations, including teas are gaining popularity as the first choice medicine offered in pharmacies. The most commonly purchased products are for the treatment... [to full text]

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [141]-150).