Counseling patients on correct drug handling in German community pharmacies: experiences and opinions of pharmaceutical staff

The Quality of Counseling for Headache OTC Medications in German Community Pharmacies Using a Simulated Patient Approach: Are There Differences between Self-Purchase and Purchase for a Third Party?

Background

In Germany—as worldwide—headache is one of the most frequent causes of self-medication. The dispensing of over-the-counter (OTC) medications may only be carried out by community pharmacies (CPs). In doing so, CPs have to ensure “adequate” counseling, for both self-purchase and purchase for a third party, which also occurs in everyday pharmacy practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of counseling for headache OTC medications in German CPs and, as the first study worldwide, to analyze whether and to what extent there are differences in counseling between self-purchase and purchase for a third party.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out using the covert simulated patient methodology (SPM) in all 42 CPs in the German big city Potsdam. With the help of 8 trained simulated patients (SPs), each CP was visited four times by a different SP. The SPs simulated in each CP two scenarios two times with the demand for an OTC medication against headache, which differed only in whether the demand was for themselves or for their boyfriend/girlfriend.

Results

All 168 planned pharmacy visits (84 visits per scenario) were successfully carried out. Overall, the median counseling score was 3.0 out of 9 points (interquartile range [IQR 2.0]). There were no significant differences between the two scenarios (Wilcoxon signed-rank test; p=0.495, r = 0.053). In a multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, the counseling level and the different scenarios were not significantly associated (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.635, 95% CI = 0.673–3.972, p=0.278).

Conclusions

Due to the partly considerable deficits in counseling of German CPs, policy-makers and the regional chambers of pharmacists are called upon to take appropriate measures to improve the quality of counseling. It is positive that no differences in counseling between self-purchase and purchase for a third party were found, but further verifying studies with a modified methodology are recommended.

Factors influencing patient participation in medication counseling at the community pharmacy: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Findings document that patient participation in pharmacy encounters is associated with favorable outcomes. However, there is a need to understand factors that may enhance or hinder patient engagement and pharmacist counseling behaviors during their medication discussions. This review aims to: (1) identify barriers and facilitators for patient engagement in pharmacy consultations, (2) explore the relationship between patient factors (such as demographics and communication behavior) and subsequent pharmacist counseling behavior.

METHODS

A systematic review of literature using PRISMA guidelines examined studies published in English addressing influences on patient participation and the relationship between patient factors and pharmacist counseling behavior. Four databases were used - PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Findings were framed thematically within the constructs of Street's Linguistic Model of Patient Participation in Care (LM).

FINDINGS

Fifty studies from 1983 to 2019, including 37 using self-reported data, were identified. Patient involvement in patient-pharmacist communication was influenced by enabling factors such as patient knowledge, communication skills, and pharmacy environment. Predisposing factors for participation ranged from patients' beliefs and past experiences to demographic characteristics such as gender and age. Pharmacists' participative behavior with patients was positively associated with patients' engagement and perceived patient cues in the conversation.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review identified predictors of patients' engagement in pharmacy encounters drawing on LM framework. Various predisposing factors, enabling factors, and pharmacist' responses impacted patients' willingness to actively participate in medication counseling at community pharmacies. Equally important, studies documented considerable impact by patients on pharmacists' counseling behavior. Pharmacy encounters should no longer be viewed as controlled simply by pharmacists' expertise and agendas. Patient characteristics and factors such as patient question-asking and expectations also appear to be associated with and influence patient-pharmacist interpersonal communication. Additional research needs to address the identified facilitators and barriers to enhance patient participation and pharmacist counseling behavior.

Do north-eastern German pharmacies recommend a necessary medical consultation for acute diarrhoea? Magnitude and determinants using a simulated patient approach

Background: In Germany, non-pharmacists (pharmacy technicians and pharmaceutical technical assistants) are permitted to advise on and sell medications in addition to pharmacists. The aim of this study was to determine if pharmacists and non-pharmacists referred patients to a medical consultation for a scenario in which consulting a doctor was mandatory ('appropriate outcome') and what the quality of questioning and - if a medication was dispensed - the quality of information provided were in this context. The study also aimed to determine which factors predicted a necessary referral to a doctor. Methods: A cross-sectional, covert simulated patient study was conducted in a random sample of community pharmacies stratified by location in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Each pharmacy was visited once by one of four trained investigators. They simulated a symptom-based request involving a grandmother with acute diarrhoea. A multivariate binary logistic regression analysis using potential variables from bivariate analysis was carried out to determine the predictors for a referral to a doctor. Results: All 199 planned visits were conducted. A necessary referral to a doctor was recommended in 59.8% (n=119) of all visits. The most commonly asked question was 'for whom is the medication?' (75.4%, n=150), while 'clarification by a doctor' was asked the least (17.6%, n=35). In 87.9% (n=175) of all visits a medication was dispensed. Multivariate analysis revealed that, unlike pharmacists, non-pharmacists have a 2.446 times higher likelihood of recommending a referral to a doctor (p = 0.044; 95% CI = 1.025-5.835). Conclusions: In almost half of the visits a necessary referral to a doctor was not recommended. Furthermore, the quality of questioning and the quality of information were below expectations. Moreover, involvement of non‑pharmacists was surprisingly identified as a relevant factor influencing the appropriate outcome.

Do north-eastern German pharmacies recommend a necessary medical consultation for acute diarrhoea? Magnitude and determinants using a simulated patient approach

Background: To determine if pharmacy staff in Germany referred patients to a medical consultation for a scenario in which consulting a doctor was mandatory (‘appropriate outcome’) and what the quality of questioning and – if a medication was dispensed – the quality of information provided were in this context. Moreover, to determine which factors predicted a necessary referral to a doctor. Methods: A cross-sectional covert simulated patient study was conducted in a random sample of community pharmacies stratified by location in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Each pharmacy was visited once by one of four trained investigators. They simulated a symptom-based request involving a grandmother with acute diarrhoea. A multivariate binary logistic regression analysis using potential variables from bivariate analysis was carried out to determine the predictors for a referral to a doctor. Results: All 199 planned visits were conducted. A necessary referral to a doctor was recommended in 59.8% (n=119) of all test purchases. Multivariate analysis revealed that a non-pharmacist as opposed to a pharmacist and two or more questions as opposed to no questions were significantly associated with a referral to a doctor. Conclusions: Regarding the necessary referral to a doctor, an enormous potential for improvement was revealed for community pharmacies in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The results should make both the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern pharmacy association and legislators aware of the need to significantly escalate their quality management efforts.