Workload and Pharmacist Workforce Requirement for Primary Care Services in Chiang Mai
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Abstract
Objective: To determine workload and the demand for pharmacy manpower to provide primary care services according to the characteristics of the District Health Development Committee (DHDC) in Chiang Mai Province. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study collected data related to workload from all 24 primary care units within DHDCs at in Chiang Mai Province during April to June 2021. Results: Most of the DHDC in Chiang Mai (79.17 percent) served as F-level community hospitals. They provided 7 primary care services with a different degree of coverage including medical supply management; drug dispensing and counseling, pharmaceutical care in primary care units, continuing care system in the community, consumer protection, herbal medicines, and administrative and follow-up supervision. The task that pharmacists largely performed and had the highest amount of work was drug dispensing and counseling. The provincial median workload for primary care services was 1.05 FTE (full time equivalent) (minimum 0.25 FTE, maximum 4.72 FTE). The estimated number of primary care pharmacists required was one in a F-level hospital and increased to four for an A-level hospital providing care to a larger population and area. Characteristic factors of DHDC which had a statistically significant effect on the median workload of pharmacists were the number of elderly people (P=0.01) and number of drugstores, clinics and factories in the area (P=0.03). Conclusion: Pharmacy manpower allocated at one per DHDC is insufficient and does not correspond to the desirable medical services. Therefore, the characteristics of the DHDC should be considered as an additional criterion in the allocation of pharmacy manpower for primary care pharmacy.
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ผลการวิจัยและความคิดเห็นที่ปรากฏในบทความถือเป็นความคิดเห็นและอยู่ในความรับผิดชอบของผู้นิพนธ์ มิใช่ความเห็นหรือความรับผิดชอบของกองบรรณาธิการ หรือคณะเภสัชศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยสงขลานครินทร์ ทั้งนี้ไม่รวมความผิดพลาดอันเกิดจากการพิมพ์ บทความที่ได้รับการเผยแพร่โดยวารสารเภสัชกรรมไทยถือเป็นสิทธิ์ของวารสารฯ
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