Identifying patient data that should be available in community pharmacies for statutory dispensing and providing clinical pharmacy services: A Delphi study

TL;DR

This study identifies which patient data should be available in community pharmacies to improve medication management and clinical services.

Contribution

The study uses a Delphi method to prioritize patient data needed in Finnish community pharmacies for dispensing and clinical services.

Findings

Community pharmacists need extended access to electronic patient data for better clinical services.

Diagnoses, kidney function, and blood pressure were rated as the most important data to be available.

Pharmacists' competence to interpret data is crucial for effective use of expanded patient information.

Abstract

Community pharmacy practice has evolved from dispensing and medication counseling towards clinical pharmacy services such as medication reviews to ensure rational pharmacotherapy. These functions require better access to patient data than are currently available in community pharmacies. This study aimed to identify and prioritize patient data that should be available in Finnish community pharmacies for 1) statutory dispensing, including medication counseling, and 2) clinical pharmacy services promoting rational pharmacotherapy.

This study applied a three-round Delphi survey with an expert panel of 20 clinical pharmacists. A consensus was formed using a preliminary list of patient data (39 items) important for managing major long-term diseases and related pharmacotherapies in outpatient care. The list was based on literature and research group's expertise. A consensus ≥80% was required. The responses were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively.

Most panelists (n = 15/19) perceived the current patient data available in community pharmacies insufficient. More patient data should be available, especially for providing clinical pharmacy services, but also for dispensing and related medication counseling (34 vs. 11 items reached a consensus, respectively). For both purposes, patient data on diagnoses, kidney function, and blood pressure were rated most important to be available. Panelists expressed some concerns about community pharmacists' resources and competence to use the data.

Consensus was reached for a relatively large set of patient data items to be available in community pharmacies, especially for providing clinical pharmacy services.

•Community pharmacies should have extended access to electronic patient data.•Most important patient data were diagnoses, kidney function, and blood pressure.•Pharmacists' competence to interpret patient data must be ensured.

Community pharmacies should have extended access to electronic patient data.

Most important patient data were diagnoses, kidney function, and blood pressure.

Pharmacists' competence to interpret patient data must be ensured.

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