Relationship between gastroenterologists and hospital pharmacists: the results of a national survey. The CONDIFA study.

INTRODUCTION: project CONDIFA ("Consenso Digestivo-Farmacia Hospitalaria") aims to establish lines of agreement between both specialties in order to improve patient care and resource optimization. In this initial work our goal was to collect the views held by both fields on issues pertaining to their mutual cooperation in our country. MATERIAL AND METHODS: an online survey was administered to members of the Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva (SEPD) and Sociedad Española de Farmacia Hospitalaria (SEFH). It comprised 31 questions, and was developed by a task force established by both Societies. RESULTS: the survey was filled out by 241 gastroenterologists and 126 pharmacists. Of these, 55 % were women. A total of 76.8 % of gastroenterologists and 88.1 % of pharmacists answered that relations between both specialties are good/very good, without reaching statistically significant differences. For both groups pharmaceutical expenditure is a priority/annual objective in their department, albeit they do not agree on prescription freedom and industry influence. Biologics committees are considered to be useful by most respondents, and both groups think it appropriate that meetings/sessions be scheduled between both specialties, and that a reference pharmacist be appointed for gastroenterology. CONCLUSIONS: this institutional research, driven by SEPD and SEFH, demonstrates that, while cooperation between the gastroenterology and hospital pharmacy departments is close and adequate, some areas remain open to improvement, which will result in better, more effective patient care.