Factors Affecting Pharmacist Standard Performance in Community Hospitals, Public Health Inspection Region 6

Abstract

Introduction: Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand 1997 chapter 8 “State shall promote public healthand public service performance standards throughout.” The pharmaceutical service must comply with the standardsas well. The aims of this analytic study were (1) to determine the personnel, motivation and maintenancefactors that affect to pharmacist standard performance; (2) influences of main factors related to pharmacist standardperformance in community hospitals; (3) identify the problem and suggestion about determinants. Method: Allpharmacists in community hospitals of Public Health Inspection Region 6 were recruited in the total number of156 people. The questionnaires had been approved with reliability 0.93. Mail questionnaires were distributed andthe response rate was 80.77 %. Data were analyzed and reported as descriptive statistics such as frequency,percentage and standard deviation including analytic statisticswith multiple regression analysis. Results: The resultsrevealed that most of pharmacists were female; average age was 33.33 years old. Most of them were single andhighest educational levels were master degree. Average working experience was 9.22 years. Pharmacist standardperformances was in high level. Motivation factor was found in high level while maintenance factor was found inmoderate level. Factors that directly influenced pharmacist standard performance were composed of variables frommotivation and maintenance factor with statistical significant difference (p=0.001).Both motivation and maintenancefactor predicted pharmacist standard performance in 30.70%. This study demonstrated the difficulties in promotingof rational drug usage were the major problem that related to clinical practice of pharmacists in hospitals. Conclusion: Factors Affecting Pharmacist Standard Performance in Community Hospitals, Public Health InspectionRegion 6 are motivation factor and maintenance factor. The strategy proceeding of proper rational drug usage shouldbe considered by the policy maker and hospital administration committee. Moreover, professional developmentstrategies should be promoted to pharmacists according to performance and competency evaluation.