Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Dept. of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2008. ix, 106 leaves / Pharmacists are seen as a trustworthy source of advice and information to many people. Their accessibility, approachability and availability enable them numerous opportunities to offer health education and advice in an informal environment. Patient use of and demand for complementary and alternative practitioners including chiropractors, continues to increase, however there have been no studies to determine the extent of the pharmacists knowledge and perceptions/attitudes towards these alternative practitioners. Thus the purpose of this study was to determine the current perceptions, attitudes and knowledge of selected South African pharmacists with respect to the chiropractic profession. This will provide a basis for future studies, as well as a knowledge base to facilitate greater understanding and co-operation between pharmacists and chiropractors.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / The South African healthcare industry has undergone numerous changes over the last two decades in both the public and private sectors. These changes have influenced the regulatory landscape of both sectors with the aim of improving accessibility to healthcare services and providers, and making healthcare more affordable for the South African public. The South African government introduced the Medical Schemes Act No. 131 of 1998, in response to issues faced in the medical scheme industry. The act allowed for a board of trustees to regulate medical schemes in their governance (McIntyre, Thiede, Nkosi, Mutyambizi, Castilo-Riquelme, Gilson, Erasmus & Goudge, 2007). The main aim was to ensure medical schemes were able to maintain solvency levels and maintain benefits offered to beneficiaries. The pharmaceutical industry saw legislative changes governing the pricing of medicines, generic substitution of medicines and open ownership of pharmacies. The researcher aimed to provide the medical scheme industry with valuable insight into the challenges experienced by pharmacists, when processing and submitting claims for medical scheme members and their beneficiaries. The intention was to enable the medical scheme industry to improve service quality and efficiency in provider relationships, and customer relationships. The research consisted of qualitative and quantitative research methods. A focus group interview consisted of the initial phase, producing qualitative data. The researcher utilised the qualitative data to construct an online questionnaire, which he then sent out through email, to a larger group of retail pharmacists in KwaZulu-Natal. The majority of retail pharmacists who participated in the research had a limited knowledge of all medical schemes and the different options available in South Africa. The majority of pharmacists in both groups were of the opinion that the redesigning and simplification of computer programmes, utilised for submitting prescriptions, would improve efficiency in service delivery. The research further found that the dissemination of information, on a variety of topics, from medical schemes to their members and service providers, should improve to increase efficiency in service delivery and foster better relationships.

Στην Ελλάδα ο όρος “γενόσημα” φάρμακα έχει γίνει ευρέως γνωστός τον τελευταίο καιρό, παρ’ό,τι στην Ευρώπη και σε άλλες χώρες του κόσμου η χρήση γενοσήμων είναι γνωστή εδώ και δεκαετίες. Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία έχει σκοπό να μελετήσει τους παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν τη στάση ασθενών-καταναλωτών και επαγγελματιών υγείας ως προς τα γενόσημα φάρμακα. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, μελετώνται διάφοροι παράγοντες που βρέθηκαν μέσα από τη βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση ότι επηρεάζουν τις πεποιθήσεις των ασθενών-καταναλωτών και των επαγγελματιών υγείας. Αρχικά, έγινε μια βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση σε μελέτες της διεθνούς βιβλιογραφίας σχετικά με το θέμα των γενόσημων φαρμάκων. Στη συνέχεια, κατασκευάστηκαν δύο ερωτηματολόγια, ένα που απευθυνόταν σε ασθενείς-καταναλωτές και ένα που απευθυνόταν σε επαγγελματίες υγείας. Το πρώτο ερωτηματολόγιο συμπλήρωσαν 364 ασθενείς-καταναλωτές. Το δεύτερο συμπλήρωσαν 95 επαγγελματίες υγείας (ιατροί και φαρμακοποιοί). Τα στοιχεία που συλλέχθηκαν από τα ερωτηματολόγια αναλύθηκαν στη συνέχεια με τη βοήθεια του προγράμματος SPSS. Από τις αναλύσεις που έγιναν, διαπιστώσαμε πως στους περισσότερους πλέον ασθενείς ο όρος «γενόσημα φάρμακα» είναι γνώριμος αλλά, υπάρχει έλλειψη σωστής πληροφόρησης. Παρόλα αυτά, οι μισοί σχεδόν ασθενείς έχουν θετική στάση προς τα γενόσημα φάρμακα και είναι διατεθειμένοι να τα χρησιμοποιήσουν μετά από σύσταση του ιατρού κυρίως, ή και του φαρμακοποιού. Επίσης, οι πιο σημαντικοί λόγοι που τους ωθούν να αγοράσουν ένα φάρμακο είναι η ασφάλεια και η αποτελεσματικότητά του. Από τις αναλύσεις των απαντήσεων των επαγγελματιών υγείας διαπιστώσαμε πως υπάρχει έλλειψη γνώσεων και σωστής πληροφόρησης. Ενώ είναι πρόθυμοι να συνταγογραφήσουν/χορηγήσουν γενόσημα φάρμακα, παρόλα αυτά, προτιμάται η χρήση πρωτότυπων φαρμακευτικών σκευασμάτων, πιθανότατα λόγω της έλλειψης εμπιστοσύνης προς τον ΕΟΦ. Πιστεύεται πως η βελτίωση της αξιοπιστίας του Οργανισμού και η καλύτερη ενημέρωση των επαγγελματιών υγείας θα συμβάλει στην αύξηση χρήσης των γενοσήμων. Το κράτος έχει θεσπίσει ήδη αρκετά μέτρα για την αύξηση χρήσης των γενοσήμων. Προτείνεται όμως, να γίνει μια πιο ολοκληρωμένη προσπάθεια μέσα από τα κανάλια των επαγγελματιών υγείας, της φαρμακευτικής βιομηχανίας αλλά και των ασθενών-καταναλωτών, ώστε να αποδώσει η προσπάθεια αυτή και επιτευχθεί ο σκοπός της. / In Greece the term "generic" drugs has become widely known lately, although in Europe and other countries of the world, generics are known for decades. This thesis aims to study the factors that affect the attitude of patients-consumers and health professionals to generics. More specifically, it examines various factors found through the literature to influence the beliefs of patients, consumers and healthcare professionals. Initially, there was a literature review on studies of the literature on the subject of generic drugs. Then, we constructed two questionnaires, one aimed at patients-consumers and one that was aimed at health professionals. The first questionnaire was completed by 364 patient-consumers. The second was completed by 95 health professionals (doctors and pharmacists). The data collected from the questionnaires were then analyzed using the SPSS program. From the analyzes, we found that among most patients the term "generic" is familiar, but there is a lack of proper information. However, almost half patients have positive attitude towards generics and are willing to use them with the recommendation of a physician primarily, or a pharmacist. Also, the most important reasons that make them buy a drug is knowing it’s safe and effective. The analyzes of the responses of health professionals found that there is lack of knowledge and correct information among them. While they are willing to prescribe/dispense generics, however, original drugs are preferred, probably due to lack of confidence in the regional EMEA. According to them, improvement of the reliability of the Agency and better information of the health professionals will help increase the use of generics. The state has already adopted several measures to increase the use of generics. But it is proposed that a more integrated effort, through the channels of health professionals, pharmaceutical industry and patients and consumers should take place so that to this effort and purpose are achieved.

The environment in which hospital pharmacists currently function demands more of them than did any previous period. Employees in pharmacy companies have to cope with the demands that arise from fulfilling various roles, as well as with increased pressures such as managed health care and primary health care. Tracking and addressing their effectiveness in coping with new demands and stimulating their growth in areas that could possibly impact on the standard of pharmacy services are therefore of great importance. The first step in the enhancement of the work-related well-being of hospital pharmacists is the successful diagnosis of occupational stress, burnout and work engagement. However, in order to measure these constructs, it is important to use reliable and valid instruments, and at the same time take biographical differences into account. The objectives of this study were to validate the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Pharmacist Stress Inventory (PSI) for hospital pharmacists in South Africa, to assess the effect of biographical factors on the levels of burnout, engagement and occupational stress, and to investigate the role of job stress and coping strategies in the work-related well-being (burnout and work engagement) of hospital pharmacists in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population consisted of an accidental sample (N = 187) of South African hospital pharmacists in both public and private hospital facilities on a national basis. The MBI-HSS, UWES, PSI, the Coping Orientation for Problem Experienced (COPE) as well as a biographical questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-tests and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the data Confirmatory factor analysis by means of structural equation modelling of the MBI-HSS, confirmed a three-factor model of burnout, consisting of Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalisation and Personal Accomplishment. The scales showed acceptable reliabilities. The results indicated that 35% of the hospital pharmacists showed high levels of emotional exhaustion, while 25% showed high levels of depersonalisation. Biographical factors such as age, years in pharmacy practice, home language, average number of hours worked per week, as well as the level of job satisfaction were related to the burnout levels of hospital pharmacists. Exploratory factor analysis of the UWES resulted in two factors, namely Vigour/dedication and Absorption. These factors showed acceptable Cronbach alpha coefficients. In the same sample (but in a different analysis where the two factors were used separately), it was indicated that compared to a South African norm, 38,5% and 48,9% of the hospital pharmacists showed low levels of vigour and dedication respectively. Position, home language, and the educational level were related to work engagement of hospital pharmacists. The PSI was developed as a measuring instrument for the purposes of this study. Three internally consistent factors, namely Job Demands, Pharmacy-Specific Stressors and Lack of Resources were extracted. The level of severity of the various stressors was calculated and the unavailability of medicine proved to be the most severe stressor. Other severe stressors included frequent interruptions, co-workers not doing their jobs, workload and insufficient salaries. Finally it was investigated whether job stress and coping strategies could predict the work related well-being of hospital pharmacists in South Africa. The results showed that job stress (as a result of job demands and lack of job resources), as well as three coping strategies (approach coping, avoidance coping and turning to religion) predicted burnout and work engagement of South African hospital pharmacists. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This research utilised mixed methodology to gain insight into community pharmacists’ adoption of medicines and services related to two key innovative policy interventions aimed at enhanced minor ailment management; namely the ongoing legal status reclassification of medicines; and the introduction of the Scottish Minor Ailment Service. Prompted by the lack of qualitative and large scale quantitative evaluation from the pharmacists’ perspective, the aim was to investigate pharmacists’ adoption of these innovations. Data were generated to evaluate the process related aspects of innovation adoption from community pharmacists’ perspectives; and to identify and quantify key factors associated with the adoption of these innovations, thereby considering the wider relevance to new community pharmacy services. A range of methods was used including: formal systematic review of peer reviewed published literature on factors associated with innovation adoption following methods recommended by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York; extensive review of policy documents of all the devolved UK Governments; qualitative focus groups and interviews with 20 community pharmacists from four Scottish Health Boards; and lastly a cross sectional survey of the pharmacists responsible for nonprescription medicines from all Scottish community pharmacies (N=1138). The theoretical framework of diffusion of innovations was adopted to design the quantitative research instrument and interpret the data. Rigour was enhanced by consideration of aspects of validity and reliability at all stages. The highest standards of research governance and ethics were applied throughout the study. Qualitative interviews provided insight into the process related aspects of innovation adoption. Where current changes were embraced reluctantly by many who deemed the pace as fast and furious, others were keen to contribute to developments taking place within pharmacy and were eager to play a more proactive role in leading and introducing change to the public. Regardless of practice setting and ownership model, the merits of each innovation appeared to be considered at the individual practitioner level. Hence an organisational level decision to implement an innovation did not necessarily translate to adoption at the individual practitioner level. Using descriptive, bivariate and multivariate quantitative models informed by the results of the qualitative interviews and systematic review of the literature, the quantitative study showed pharmacists’ perceived attributes of innovations (such as benefits to their professional role development and patients); and patient demand and use of services had the highest association with whether or how far innovations were adopted. Issues such as differences in availability of resources were less able to explain differing level of innovation adoption by the pharmacist respondents. These findings suggest that as innovations around minor ailment management have not yet required reorientation of existing services, the issue of how pharmacists’ perceive the characteristics of the innovations such as: potential for financial benefits to pharmacy, professional role development and patients; is key to predicting whether future innovations of a similar nature will be successfully adopted by pharmacists.

Title: Patient perspective of medication information desired Student: Kalaitzidis Panagiotis Tutor: Jiri Vlcek Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Background: Even from the decade of 1970, patients wanted more information about drugs and did not want to be so depended on the information the physician provided them. Today patients are more than ever informed about their disease and the available and appropriate treatment, due to the high volume of information that can be acquired through the Internet. The traditional role of pharmacists was the provision of medicines to the population. However, nowadays, this role has been changed so as to include other tasks, such as management of prescribed medicines, and promotion of health, since pharmacists can serve as a source of expertise knowledge to the customers. Due to the fact that there is no relevant research for the case of Greek patients, this pilot research could help to fill this gap, by trying to find out what kind of information patients want to know about medicines in several pharmacies in Greece. Aim: The aim of this research is to examine what kind of information patients want related to medicines. More precisely, this research will try to identify the type of...

SYSTEM OF EDUCATION OF PHARMACISTS IN GREECE Author: Eirini-Georgia Mougiou Tutor: RNDr. Jana Kotlářová, Ph.D. Department of social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic Aim of study: The aim of diploma thesis is to get current knowledge about system of education of pharmacists in Greece, their vocational employment and to shortly compare situation in this field in Greece with Czech Republic. A survey whose goal is the gathering of information from foreign students about their experience in universities abroad, especially at Charles University. Methods: Data collection through appreciation of information and studying of literature. Questionnaire answered by 61 following students of pharmacy on March 2013. Results: Studies in high school, entrance examination of students in University , undergraduate and postgraduate studies in discipline of pharmacy are the main characteristics of both educational systems. Comparison and report of differences between the studies in Greece and studies abroad. Importance of life-long learning for professional pharmacists. Students answered questionnaire are 47,54 % males and 52,46 % females, most of them 68,84 % are from Greece and 14,74% from Cyprus. 67,21 % are not satisfied with Charles...

University of Macau / Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences

Este trabalho teve por objetivo a avaliação da atuação dos farmacêuticos que trabalham na Divisão de Farmácia do HCFMRP-USP mediante o estudo de suas práticas em benefício da Assistência Farmacêutica, bem como caracterizar a Farmácia Hospitalar (FH) e seus farmacêuticos, comparando as atividades por eles desenvolvidas com aquelas recomendadas pela literatura. Foram aplicados dois questionários aos 19 farmacêuticos participantes sendo que um deles visava traçar um perfil dos participantes e o segundo verificar quais atividades são desenvolvidas pela Divisão de Farmácia e o grau de participação destes.Um terceiro questionário destinado à caracterização da Farmácia Hospitalar foi aplicado apenas à diretora técnica. Como resultados obtivemos que apesar da Farmácia possuir uma função definida dentro da estrutura organizacional do hospital bem como em relação às atividades desenvolvidas, esta ainda possui um perfil centralizado no medicamento com poucas atividades direcionadas ao paciente.Em relação às atividades essenciais a serem oferecidas pela FH, obtivemos uma atuação satisfatória com ausência de alguns segmentos como o Serviço de Informação de Medicamentos e Seguimento Farmacoterapêutico.Os farmacêuticos em geral possuem uma boa formação profissional com relação à capacitação técnica, no entanto em relação ao ano pesquisado não houve o desenvolvimento de nenhuma produção científica.Estes se encontram insatisfeitos em diversos aspectos como o dimensionamento dos recursos humanos e estrutura física e 68% se auto-avaliam relação à atuação dentro da Assistência Farmacêutica como pouco atuantes, sendo que uma boa auto-avaliação está indiretamente relacionada ao tempo de serviço.Os resultados deste estudo permitiram um maior conhecimento sobre o desempenho tanto da FH quanto de seus profissionais farmacêuticos, além de fornecer dados que podem ser utilizados como referência para a elaboração de prioridades e estratégias para o desenvolvimento e aprimoramento da Divisão de Farmácia. / The aim of this study was to assess the pharmacists performance who work in the Pharmacy Division of HCFMRP-USP by studying their practices regarding Pharmaceutical Assistance, and to characterize the Hospital Pharmacy and its pharmacists, comparing their activities to those recommended by the literature. Two questionnaires were applied to the 19 participating pharmacists, one of them used to trace the profile of the participants and the other used to determine the activities developed by the Pharmacy Division and the extent of participation of the pharmacists. A third questionnaire devoted to the characterization of the Hospital Pharmacy was applied only to the technical director of this service. The results showed that, even though the Pharmacy has a defined function within the organizational structure of the hospital and also regarding the activities performed, it still has a profile centered on medication, with few activities directed at the patient. Regarding the essential activities to be offered by the Hospital Pharmacy, we detected a satisfactory performance, with the absence of some segments such as the Service of Information about Medications and Pharmacotherapeutic Follow-up. In general, the pharmacists have a good professional training regarding technical habilitation, although no scientific production occurred during the year studied. These professionals are dissatisfied regarding several aspects such as the dimensioning of human resources and the physical structure of the premises and 68% evaluated themselves as having reduced performance within Pharmaceutical Assistance, with a good self-evaluation being related to time of service. The results of the present study provided a better knowledge of the performance of the Hospital Pharmacy and of its personnel, as well as data that could be used as reference for the elaboration of priorities and strategies for the development and improvement of the Pharmacy Division.

In healthcare encounters, patients communicate wide-ranging concerns relating to their health and illness experience, treatment or wider psychosocial world. This research draws upon a normative understanding of patient centred approaches which recognise the clinical and psychotherapeutic value in having the opportunity to talk to someone who will listen empathetically and to have expressed concerns acknowledged and understood. The aim of this research was to understand how GPs, nurse and pharmacist prescribers manage patients’ emotional cues and concerns in healthcare encounters. This research employed a mixed method study underpinned by an interpretative epistemology to understand, in particular, how nurse and pharmacists as ‘new prescribers’ manage emotionality during consultations in primary care. The study also critically reflected on the value and limitations of the study methodology to explore this topic. Phase one employed a coding framework to code 528 consultations with 20 GPs, 19 nurses and 12 pharmacist prescribers. The nature and content of patients’ cues and concerns and healthcare professionals’ responses were coded and analysed quantitatively. Phase two undertook qualitative analysis on a sub-sample of 30 transcribed recordings to understand barriers and facilitators to offering emotional labour during the consultation process. Phase one found that patients communicate on average 3.4 cues and concerns per consultation and of those concerns expressed, half related to biomedical concerns. Other cue and concern types related to medication, the impact of a patient’s condition/symptoms on their day-to-day life and cues and concerns related to psychosocial issues, including job stress, family problems, or bereavement. Phase one found that there were significant differences between the type of positive/missed responses to patients’ cues and concerns across the groups. 81% of pharmacists’ responses were coded as positive compared with 72% of nurse prescriber responses and 52% of GP responses. Male GPs were significantly more likely to miss patients’ cues and concerns compared to female GPs. Phase two drew upon emotion work theory and models of patient centred care to identify the ways in which emotions are communicated and managed within healthcare encounters recorded for this study. Phase two identified facilitators (such as attuning to the patient’s world, evidence of listening, providing space, validating and legitimising patients’ concerns) and barriers (emotional disengagement, task focused and structured/agenda driven consultations) to the employment of emotional labour. These findings identify that a complex inter-play of individual, socio-cultural and political factors have potential to influence the way in which emotionality is managed during the consultation process. The findings reinforce the importance of patient centred approaches and communication skills training and the need for support, supervision and training to enable healthcare professionals to manage their emotionality and that of their patients.