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Pharmacy Practice Needs in Rural Maine
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Abstracts / Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 10 (2014) e1–e64
Pharmacist–Technician Teamwork in Hypertension Management Services in Community Pharmacies: Effects of Team Composition and Environmental Factors S.Y. Hsu1, J.K. Mount2, 1School of Pharmacy, West Coast University, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Expanding patient care in community pharmacy necessitates effective pharmacy team efforts. This paper examines pharmacist-technician teams and examines whether team composition and environmental factors influenced team agreement and communication regarding a novel hypertension management program. Methods: Data were gathered via self-administered survey completed by each member of 12 pharmacist–technician pairs. Analysis used Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Outcome measures were: 1) team agreement on (a) technician tasks and (b) pharmacist tasks and 2) team communication. Two types of conditions (i.e., potential predictors) were examined: team composition (indicated by pharmacist experience and pharmacist experience relative to technician experience) and environmental factors (indicated by auxiliary support in the pharmacy, pharmacy workload, and economic status of the neighborhood). Outcomes and conditions were constructed in continuous fuzzy sets for analysis. A plausible causal configuration was deemed relevant if at least one case exhibited this particular configuration; a configuration was considered a sufficient solution for an outcome it met the consistency benchmark (set at 0.9). Results: Team agreement on technician tasks was higher when: (1) a pharmacist was paired with a more senior technician in a pharmacy that had higher auxiliary support and (2) an experienced pharmacist worked in a low-workload pharmacy in a less affluent neighborhood. Agreement on pharmacist tasks was higher when: (1) a pharmacy had a low workload and higher auxiliary support and (2) an inexperienced pharmacist was in a low-workload pharmacy in a more affluent neighborhood. Only one configuration was associated with the two communication variables. The team had more discussion about tasks when the pharmacist was more senior than the technician. Greater communication was reported when the pharmacist was more senior and the pharmacy had greater auxiliary support. Conclusions: Results begin to identify team composition and pharmacy environment factors that promote (or impede) team agreement. They suggest ways to enhance pharmacy team-building.
Pharmacy Practice Needs in Rural Maine S.L. Martin, M. Harpine, K. Anderson, Husson School of Pharmacy, Husson University, Bangor ME The Husson University School of Pharmacy set forth Strategic Priorities for fiscal year 2013 – 2018. There are
11 strategic initiatives; the seventh is to “Influence the practice of pharmacy and health care delivery in the State of Maine.” Within that initiative, Objective 7.4 states: “In collaboration with practitioners and state professional organizations, periodically assess that pharmacy practice needs, including any rural-specific needs, in Maine and work to introduce appropriate practice models and/or legislative changes to address those needs.” During the spring semester, 2014, a research elective was offered to begin to achieve this objective. Methods: While the Strategic Priorities were in place, a mechanism to achieve Objective 7.4 was not yet operationalized as of August 2013. Dr. S.L. Martin with expertise in epidemiology and rural health joined the faculty and selected this objective within her research agenda. She next offered a new research elective for the pharmacy students, thereby recruiting two third year pharmacy students. A research team was assembled with these two students, Dr. Martin as the faculty advisor, and input from pharmacy practice faculty (one of whom served as Inspector for the Maine Board of Pharmacy and the other practiced as a pharmacist in Maine for 30 years). The team used their networks to identify key informant interviewees; and they established a short survey for all pharmacists in the State to critically assess their practice needs. Results: Thus far, 10 key informant interviews have been conducted. A variety of disciplines were sampled, including but not limited to a former public health nurse, medical doctor and vice president of medical affairs, former pharmacist and Board Chair of the Maine Wellness Connection, a retired independent pharmacy store owner, and a university researcher affiliated with American Pharmacist Association. The areas of concern mentioned most often were opiate abuse, use and diversion; and the challenges associated with access. A survey has been drafted for distribution to over 1,000 licensed pharmacists in Maine, during the fall of 2015 to explore these and other factors related to pharmacy practice in the state. Conclusions: The rural nature of Maine creates a barrier to access especially in the landscape of fewer independent pharmacies. Opioids challenge practice in a variety of ways, including robberies, overdose, and difficult access for those that need it. These preliminary findings in combination with forth-coming survey data will clarify areas that present opportunities for pharmacists to make a difference to Maine’s rural population.
Pharmacy Practice Research Internship – An Innovative Approach Linking Practice, Research and Teaching E.S. Schaafsma1, S.K.A. van Welie2, N. Pras1, R.P. van Hulten1, K. Taxis1, 1Departement of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Care, University Center for Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 2 Master of Pharmacy Student To evaluate our pharmacy practice research internship.
Abstracts / Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 10 (2014) e1–e64
Pharmacist–Technician Teamwork in Hypertension Management Services in Community Pharmacies: Effects of Team Composition and Environmental Factors S.Y. Hsu1, J.K. Mount2, 1School of Pharmacy, West Coast University, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Expanding patient care in community pharmacy necessitates effective pharmacy team efforts. This paper examines pharmacist-technician teams and examines whether team composition and environmental factors influenced team agreement and communication regarding a novel hypertension management program. Methods: Data were gathered via self-administered survey completed by each member of 12 pharmacist–technician pairs. Analysis used Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Outcome measures were: 1) team agreement on (a) technician tasks and (b) pharmacist tasks and 2) team communication. Two types of conditions (i.e., potential predictors) were examined: team composition (indicated by pharmacist experience and pharmacist experience relative to technician experience) and environmental factors (indicated by auxiliary support in the pharmacy, pharmacy workload, and economic status of the neighborhood). Outcomes and conditions were constructed in continuous fuzzy sets for analysis. A plausible causal configuration was deemed relevant if at least one case exhibited this particular configuration; a configuration was considered a sufficient solution for an outcome it met the consistency benchmark (set at 0.9). Results: Team agreement on technician tasks was higher when: (1) a pharmacist was paired with a more senior technician in a pharmacy that had higher auxiliary support and (2) an experienced pharmacist worked in a low-workload pharmacy in a less affluent neighborhood. Agreement on pharmacist tasks was higher when: (1) a pharmacy had a low workload and higher auxiliary support and (2) an inexperienced pharmacist was in a low-workload pharmacy in a more affluent neighborhood. Only one configuration was associated with the two communication variables. The team had more discussion about tasks when the pharmacist was more senior than the technician. Greater communication was reported when the pharmacist was more senior and the pharmacy had greater auxiliary support. Conclusions: Results begin to identify team composition and pharmacy environment factors that promote (or impede) team agreement. They suggest ways to enhance pharmacy team-building.
Pharmacy Practice Needs in Rural Maine S.L. Martin, M. Harpine, K. Anderson, Husson School of Pharmacy, Husson University, Bangor ME The Husson University School of Pharmacy set forth Strategic Priorities for fiscal year 2013 – 2018. There are
11 strategic initiatives; the seventh is to “Influence the practice of pharmacy and health care delivery in the State of Maine.” Within that initiative, Objective 7.4 states: “In collaboration with practitioners and state professional organizations, periodically assess that pharmacy practice needs, including any rural-specific needs, in Maine and work to introduce appropriate practice models and/or legislative changes to address those needs.” During the spring semester, 2014, a research elective was offered to begin to achieve this objective. Methods: While the Strategic Priorities were in place, a mechanism to achieve Objective 7.4 was not yet operationalized as of August 2013. Dr. S.L. Martin with expertise in epidemiology and rural health joined the faculty and selected this objective within her research agenda. She next offered a new research elective for the pharmacy students, thereby recruiting two third year pharmacy students. A research team was assembled with these two students, Dr. Martin as the faculty advisor, and input from pharmacy practice faculty (one of whom served as Inspector for the Maine Board of Pharmacy and the other practiced as a pharmacist in Maine for 30 years). The team used their networks to identify key informant interviewees; and they established a short survey for all pharmacists in the State to critically assess their practice needs. Results: Thus far, 10 key informant interviews have been conducted. A variety of disciplines were sampled, including but not limited to a former public health nurse, medical doctor and vice president of medical affairs, former pharmacist and Board Chair of the Maine Wellness Connection, a retired independent pharmacy store owner, and a university researcher affiliated with American Pharmacist Association. The areas of concern mentioned most often were opiate abuse, use and diversion; and the challenges associated with access. A survey has been drafted for distribution to over 1,000 licensed pharmacists in Maine, during the fall of 2015 to explore these and other factors related to pharmacy practice in the state. Conclusions: The rural nature of Maine creates a barrier to access especially in the landscape of fewer independent pharmacies. Opioids challenge practice in a variety of ways, including robberies, overdose, and difficult access for those that need it. These preliminary findings in combination with forth-coming survey data will clarify areas that present opportunities for pharmacists to make a difference to Maine’s rural population.
Pharmacy Practice Research Internship – An Innovative Approach Linking Practice, Research and Teaching E.S. Schaafsma1, S.K.A. van Welie2, N. Pras1, R.P. van Hulten1, K. Taxis1, 1Departement of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Care, University Center for Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 2 Master of Pharmacy Student To evaluate our pharmacy practice research internship.