Improving the Quality of Publications in and Advancing the Paradigms of Clinical and Social Pharmacy Practice Research: The Granada Statements / Mejorando la calidad de las publicaciones y avanzando en todos los paradigmas de la investigación de la farmacia asistencial, clínica y social: las declaraciones de Granada

Pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences embrace a series of different disciplines. Pharmacy practice has been defined as “the scientific discipline that studies the different aspects of the practice of pharmacy and its impact on health care systems, medicine use, and patient care”. Thus, pharmacy practice studies embrace both clinical pharmacy and social pharmacy elements. Like any other scientific discipline, clinical and social pharmacy practice disseminates research findings using scientific journals. Clinical pharmacy and social pharmacy journal editors have a role in promoting the discipline by enhancing the quality of the articles published. As has occurred in other health care areas (i.e., medicine and nursing), a group of clinical and social pharmacy practice journal editors gathered in Granada, Spain to discuss how journals could contribute to strengthening pharmacy practice as a discipline. The result of that meeting was compiled in these Granada Statements, which comprise 18 recommendations gathered into six topics: the appropriate use of terminology, impactful abstracts, the required peer reviews, journal scattering, more effective and wiser use of journal and article performance metrics, and authors’ selection of the most appropriate pharmacy practice journal to submit their work (AU)

An inventory of collaborative medication reviews for older adults - evolution of practices.

BACKGROUND: Collaborative medication review (CMR) practices for older adults are evolving in many countries. Development has been under way in Finland for over a decade, but no inventory of evolved practices has been conducted. The aim of this study was to identify and describe CMR practices in Finland after 10 years of developement. METHODS: An inventory of CMR practices was conducted using a snowballing approach and an open call in the Finnish Medicines Agency's website in 2015. Data were quantitatively analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitatively by inductive thematic content analysis. Clyne et al's medication review typology was applied for evaluating comprehensiveness of the practices. RESULTS: In total, 43 practices were identified, of which 22 (51%) were designed for older adults in primary care. The majority (n = 30, 70%) of the practices were clinical CMRs, with 18 (42%) of them being in routine use. A checklist with criteria was used in 19 (44%) of the practices to identify patients with polypharmacy (n = 6), falls (n = 5), and renal dysfunction (n = 5) as the most common criteria for CMR. Patients were involved in 32 (74%) of the practices, mostly as a source of information via interview (n = 27, 63%). A medication care plan was discussed with the patient in 17 practices (40%), and it was established systematically as usual care to all or selected patient groups in 11 (26%) of the practices. All or selected patients' medication lists were reconciled in 15 practices (35%). Nearly half of the practices (n = 19, 44%) lacked explicit methods for following up effects of medication changes. When reported, the effects were followed up as a routine control (n = 9, 21%) or in a follow-up appointment (n = 6, 14%). CONCLUSIONS: Different MRs in varying settings were available and in routine use, the majority being comprehensive CMRs designed for primary outpatient care and for older adults. Even though practices might benefit from national standardization, flexibility in their customization according to context, medical and patient needs, and available resources is important.

The role of reflective practice in healthcare professions: Next steps for pharmacy education and practice.

Reflective practice strategies can enable healthcare practitioners to draw on previous experiences to render more effective judgment in clinical situations. The central argument presented in this commentary is that education programs and structures for continuing professional development (CPD) and revalidation of professionals sharpen their focus regarding self-assessment to identify gaps in skills and attitudes rather than merely as a means of on-going monitoring. Pharmacy undergraduate and professional education need to promote reflective practice strategies that foster self-evaluation to promote pharmacists' readiness for practice change and advance patient care within rapidly expanding roles and scope of practice.

Determinants of satisfaction with prescription drug plans.

Satisfaction among health plan members with their prescription drug coverage was studied. Interviews of patrons of 10 randomly selected community pharmacies in the Pittsburgh area were conducted by entry-level Pharm.D. students during spring 1999. Survey participants were asked to indicate their level of satisfaction with each of nine items dealing with various components of pharmacy benefit plans and to provide health-related and sociodemographic information. Differences in responses were assessed with univariate and multivariate statistics. A total of 504 people were interviewed. The results of general linear model and multivariate procedures indicated that the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents did little to explain variations in satisfaction. Differences were governed primarily by having a choice of plans in which to enroll and of perceptions of plan limitations. Most respondents were overwhelmingly satisfied with the quality of their prescription drug plans. Government-sponsored plans were rated at least as well as private plans. Members of health care plans in a metropolitan region were satisfied with their prescription drug coverage. Satisfaction was primarily determined by perceptions about coverage limitations and having a choice of plans.

Pharmacists' perceptions of a set of pharmaceutical care practice standards.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed pharmacists' perceptions of the feasibility and relevance of a set of community-based pharmaceutical care practice standards. DESIGN: Practice standards generated in a Delphi study were rated for feasibility of implementation and relevance to improving therapeutic outcomes by a randomized sample of 315 pharmacists on two 7-point Likert-type scales. These ratings were compared with assessments by Delphi panel experts. RESULTS: Pharmacists judged many of the standards favorably; however, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA revealed that they were less confident in the standards' feasibility of implementation and relevance to improving patient outcomes than were the Delphi panel experts. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists appear ready to accept a majority of the practice standards used in this study. The lower ratings by respondent pharmacists may be indicative of apprehension about embracing a new practice paradigm and a belief that the provision of pharmaceutical care services has a limited impact on therapeutic outcomes.