Problems and Recommendations for the Continuity of Pharmaceutical Care through Home Visit by Pharmacists

Abstract

Introduction: Home visit by pharmacist is one strategy employed to promote continuity of pharmaceutical care. In 2009, this activity was address as one of the main pharmacy services at primary care level. Objectives: To elicit barriers and gathers recommends for the improvement of the quality of continuity of pharmaceutical care through home visit by pharmacists. Methods: This study was a qualitative survey. Semi-structures interview protocol was used to guide data collection. Sample were 18 pharmacists who were in charge of home visit by pharmacists and worked in the catchment area of the National Health Security Office zone 7, i.e. Roi-et Khon Kaen, Mahasarakram and Kalasin. Subjects were purposively selected. Snow ball technique was used to identify sample. Data were content analyzed. Results: Barriers in conducting home visit by pharmacists being expressed by the subjects were that there was a lack of support from key decision makers, pharmacists lacked of knowledge necessary to perform the activity and the partner organizations did not give priority to this activity. Factors deterring the success of home visit by pharmacists, as expressed by subjected, were supportive policy, and pharmacists’ academic competency and positive attitude. The most frequent expressed need were the work guideline, sensible performance indicators, work -driven mechanism and a clear remuneration protocol. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to create mechanisms to push the contracting point of primary cares (CUPs)to formulate a clear policy to support an operation of home visit by pharmacists. There is also a need to establish practice guideline and performance indicators of home visit by pharmacists.