Understanding of healthcare professionals towards the roles and competencies of clinical pharmacists in South Africa

Development of service standards and manpower calculation criteria for hospital clinical pharmacies in South Korea: a survey-based study

BACKGROUND

After the revision of the Korean Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, the certification of specialized pharmacists is scheduled to be legally recognized in 2023. Considering that the specialized pharmacist certification was developed based on the working model of hospital clinical pharmacists, it is necessary to establish standards for clinical pharmacists in hospitals and to calculate appropriate manpower. Through this study, we aim to establish practical standards for clinical pharmacists and propose a method for calculating staffing levels based on an investigation of actual workloads.

METHODS

This survey-based study consisted of two phases. In the first phase, a literature review was conducted to establish standards for clinical pharmacy services, and tasks in relevant literature were classified to identify clinical pharmacy service tasks that are applicable to the practice of Korean hospitals. Additionally, a preliminary survey was conducted to investigate the essential tasks. In the second phase of the investigation, a multicenter survey was conducted targeting pharmacists in facilities with more than 1,000 beds to explore their perceptions and actual workloads related to tasks.

RESULTS

According to the standards for clinical pharmacists in Korea, clinical pharmacy services consist of a total of 23 tasks, of which 16 have been identified as essential tasks. Essential tasks accounted for 93% of the total tasks in clinical pharmacy services. The average full-time equivalent (FTE) through workload calculation was 2.5 ± 1.9 for each field, while the FTE allocated to actual practice was 2.1 ± 1.6. The distribution of each type of clinical pharmacy service was as follows: 77% for medication therapy management, 13% for medication education, 8% for multidisciplinary team activities, and 3% for medication use evaluation.

CONCLUSION

This study identified essential tasks common to clinical pharmacy services across different healthcare institutions. However, the FTE of clinical pharmacists in actual practice was insufficient compared to the required amount. In order to establish and expand clinical pharmacy services in a hospital, it is necessary to ensure an adequate workforce for essential tasks.

Health professionals' experience and perceived obstacles with managing patients' medication information in Norway: cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Access to correct and up to date medication information is crucial for effective patient treatment. However, persistent discrepancies exist. This study examines the experiences and challenges health professionals encounter while utilizing current digital solutions in the Norwegian healthcare system to manage patients' medication information.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive analysis using quantitative survey data was conducted to investigate how health professionals managed patients' medication information. Content analysis was used to analyze free-text responses concerning challenges they encountered when transferring medication information and to identify factors deemed necessary for implementing the Shared Medication List in Norway.

RESULTS

A total of 262 doctors and 244 nurses responded to the survey. A higher percentage of doctors (72.2%) expressed concerns regarding obtaining accurate and updated medication lists than nurses (42.9%), particularly for patients with polypharmacy (35.3%) or transitioning between primary and specialist care services (27.6%). The patient's verbal information was the main source for hospital doctors (17%) to obtain an overview of the patient's medication usage, while general practitioners (19%) and nurses (working in both primary and specialist care services, 28% and 27% respectively) predominantly relied on electronic prescriptions. Doctors, in particular general practitioners, reported carrying excessive responsibilities in coordinating with other health actors (84.8%) and managing patients' medication information. The vast majority of both doctors (84.4%) and nurses (82.0%) were in favor of a Shared Medication List. However, about a third of doctors (36.3%) and nurses (29.8%) expressed the need for a more balanced responsibility in updating and managing patients' medication information, while ensuring compatibility with existing digital systems.

CONCLUSIONS

Fragmented resources for medication information and unclear responsibilities were prevalent concerns among both professional groups. Doctors voiced more concern than nurses about the accuracy of patients' medication list. While both groups are positive about a shared medication list, successful implementation requires proactive training initiatives and clearer role clarification.

Current practices, gaps, and opportunities on the role of clinical pharmacists in cancer pain management: Perspectives from Nepal

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Assessing the accuracy and consistency of ChatGPT in clinical pharmacy management: A preliminary analysis with clinical pharmacy experts worldwide

BACKGROUND

ChatGPT conversation system has ushered in a revolutionary new era of information retrieval and stands as one of the fastest-growing platforms. Clinical pharmacy, as a dynamic discipline, necessitates an advanced comprehension of drugs and diseases. The process of decision-making in clinical pharmacy demands accuracy and consistency in medical information, as it directly affects patient safety.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to evaluate ChatGPT's accuracy and consistency in managing pharmacotherapy cases across multiple time points. Additionally, input was gathered from global clinical pharmacy experts, and the agreement between ChatGPT's responses and those of clinical pharmacy experts worldwide was assessed.

METHODS

A set of 20 cases of pharmacotherapy was entered into ChatGPT at three different time points. Reliability analysis was performed using inter-rater reliability to measure the accuracy of the output generated by ChatGPT at each time point. Test-retest reliability was performed to measure the consistency of the output generated by ChatGPT across the three time points. Pharmacy expert performance was evaluated, and the overall results were compared.

RESULTS

ChatGPT achieved a hit rate of 70.83% at week 1, 79.2% at week 3, and 75% at week 5. The percent agreement between weeks 1 and 3 was 79.2%, whereas it was 87.5% between weeks 3 and 5, and 83.3% between weeks 1 and 5. In contrast, accuracy rates among clinical pharmacy experts showed considerable variation according to their geographic location. The highest agreement between clinical pharmacist responses and ChatGPT responses was observed at the last time point examined.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the analysis suggested that ChatGPT is capable of generating clinically relevant pharmaceutical information, albeit with some variation in accuracy and consistency. It should be noted that clinical pharmacy experts worldwide may provide varying degrees of accuracy depending on their expertise. This study highlights the potential of AI chatbots in clinical pharmacy.