Competence, competition and collaboration: Perceived challenges among Swedish community pharmacists engaging in pharmaceutical services provision and research.

BACKGROUND: Creating evidence of effectiveness is an important part of service development. In an ongoing research project Swedish community pharmacists participate in services research by recruiting patients initiated on statins to an adherence-promoting cognitive pharmaceutical service, jointly run by nurses and pharmacists. AIMS: To explore the pharmacists' experiences of providing part of the service and their views regarding future participation in practice research aiming at developing cognitive pharmaceutical services. METHODS: Focus group interviews were conducted with community pharmacists from pharmacies participating in the project. A semi-structured interview guide was developed, based on the aim and earlier research. RESULTS: The domains identified were the service itself, operative conditions, the pharmacists' role/profession and stakeholders. The research project was thought to promote the local pharmacy to customers, increase job satisfaction and contribute to service development. However, a perceived lack of competence among pharmacists affected both patient communication and project involvement. Additional resources and strengthened collaboration with other local healthcare were requested. Competition among pharmacy chains was identified as a barrier to patient-centred service provision and research. CONCLUSION: The current operative conditions in Swedish community pharmacies were perceived by pharmacists as hampering cognitive pharmaceutical services provision and research. Additional resources, improved communication skills and research competence, and increased collaboration with other healthcare and across pharmacy chains are necessary changes. A stronger patient-centred perspective among all stakeholders is required.

Introduction and Utilization of High Priced HCV Medicines across Europe; Implications for the Future.

BACKGROUND: Infection with the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a widespread transmittable disease with a diagnosed prevalence of 2.0%. Fortunately, it is now curable in most patients. Sales of medicines to treat HCV infection grew 2.7% per year between 2004 and 2011, enhanced by the launch of the protease inhibitors (PIs) boceprevir (BCV) and telaprevir (TVR) in addition to ribavirin and pegylated interferon (pegIFN). Costs will continue to rise with new treatments including sofosbuvir, which now include interferon free regimens. OBJECTIVE: Assess the uptake of BCV and TVR across Europe from a health authority perspective to offer future guidance on dealing with new high cost medicines. METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study of medicines to treat HCV (pegIFN, ribavirin, BCV and TVR) among European countries from 2008 to 2013. Utilization measured in defined daily doses (DDDs)/1000 patients/quarter (DIQs) and expenditure in Euros/DDD. Health authority activities to influence treatments categorized using the 4E methodology (Education, Engineering, Economics and Enforcement). RESULTS: Similar uptake of BCV and TVR among European countries and regions, ranging from 0.5 DIQ in Denmark, Netherlands and Slovenia to 1.5 DIQ in Tayside and Catalonia in 2013. However, different utilization of the new PIs vs. ribavirin indicates differences in dual vs. triple therapy, which is down to factors including physician preference and genotypes. Reimbursed prices for BCV and TVR were comparable across countries. CONCLUSION: There was reasonable consistency in the utilization of BCV and TVR among European countries in comparison with other high priced medicines. This may reflect the social demand to limit the transmission of HCV. However, the situation is changing with new curative medicines for HCV genotype 1 (GT1) with potentially an appreciable budget impact. These concerns have resulted in different prices across countries, with their impact on budgets and patient outcomes monitored in the future to provide additional guidance.

Utilisation of prescription and over-the-counter triptans: a cross-sectional study in Stockholm, Sweden.

PURPOSE: Triptans are widely used in acute migraine, and in some countries, they are also available over-the-counter (OTC). In Sweden, sales have increased for both prescription and OTC triptans. This study aimed to describe current prescribing and utilisation patterns of prescription and OTC triptans in Stockholm, Sweden. METHODS: Register data from 4759 patients dispensed triptans in 2014 were used to study documented diagnosis of migraine, concomitant acute and preventive treatment for migraine, and contraindications. Survey data from 49 patients purchasing OTC triptans in three pharmacies were used to capture physician-diagnosed migraine, concomitant acute and preventive treatment for migraine, a behaviour of combining or alternating between prescription and OTC triptans, and pharmacy counselling rates. RESULTS: Among the prescription triptan users, 52 % had a recorded diagnosis of migraine, 48 % had no other acute treatment, preventive treatment was rare (12 %) and contraindications were found in 2 % of the patients. Among the OTC triptan users, the majority (63 %) had been diagnosed by a physician and had a history of prescription triptan use, but combining or alternating between OTC and prescription triptans was rare. Concomitant acute treatment was reported in 53 % and preventive treatment was rare (4 %), despite high self-reported migraine frequencies. Some off-label use was detected, despite moderate to high counselling rates. CONCLUSION: Triptans are prescribed with attention to safety but with poor recording of migraine diagnosis. OTC triptan users generally have a history of prescription triptan use. Preventive treatment rates are low in both groups. Strategies to discern patients who need other treatment options should be considered.

Exploring community pharmacists' experiences of surveying patients for drug utilization research purposes.

BACKGROUND: Patient self-reported data are important in drug utilization research, but often logistically difficult to collect. During 2006-2012, 72 Swedish community pharmacies regularly collected such data through structured survey interviews at the pharmacy counter, performed by the dispensing pharmacists. This study is part of a validation of that data acquisition method. OBJECTIVES: (1) To explore the experiences of the pharmacists involved, (2) to explore a random or systematic exclusion of eligible patients by the pharmacists, and (3) to find areas of improvement to the applied method of surveying. SETTING: 72 Swedish community pharmacies, distributed all over the country. METHOD: (a) A questionnaire was distributed to approximately 400 dispensing pharmacists at the pharmacies conducting the patient surveys; (b) semi-structured telephone interviews conducted with 19 pharmacists at 12 of the pharmacies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Proportions of pharmacists reporting positive and negative experiences of structured survey interviews, the nature of their experiences, proportion of pharmacists reporting to avoid survey interviews and reasons for doing so, and suggested areas of improvement. RESULTS: A total of 126 pharmacists (32 %) completed the questionnaire. A majority (82 %) reported positive experiences of interviewing. In addition to the data generated as the primary goal of surveying, secondary benefits such as an improved patient-pharmacist dialogue and an increased detection and resolution of drug related problems were reported. However, a majority (63 %) of the pharmacists also reported negative experiences related to a perceived lack of time to fulfil one's professional obligations. Almost half of the pharmacists (44 %) in the survey admitted that they occasionally avoided interviewing eligible patients, due to the immediate increase in work load. The limited availability of staff resources was the most apparent area of improvement. CONCLUSION: Under certain conditions, community pharmacies are feasible as a setting for conducting patient surveys in drug utilization research, and dispensing pharmacists suitable for conducting them. When regular dispensing staff perform the survey interviews as a part of the drug dispensing process, additional resources to manage the immediate increase in work load have to be considered. Otherwise, data quality may be compromised.

Utilisation of angiotensin receptor blockers in Sweden: combining survey and register data to study adherence to prescribing guidelines.

PURPOSE: Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) offer a new treatment alternative for patients with hypertension and heart failure. Due to comparatively high prices, most guidelines suggest ARBs be restricted to patients intolerant to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi). We analysed the prescribing patterns of ARBs in Sweden by combining prescription register data with patient self-reported data. METHODS: Survey data from 517 patients dispensed ARBs in 55 pharmacies and data on dispensed prescriptions from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register were used to study indication, comorbidity and whether ARBs were initiated as first-line treatment. RESULTS: In 2006, ARBs were dispensed to 3.6% of the Swedish population. The survey showed that 92% used them for hypertension. Register data showed that 23% of all patients initiated on an ARB had not been prescribed any other antihypertensive drugs 1 year prior to the initiation. CONCLUSIONS: ARBs are commonly used in Sweden, mainly to treat hypertension. Adherence to prescribing guidelines may be improved.