[Functional characteristics of pharmacy services related to home care--results from two pharmaceutical association surveys in suburban and old town areas].
In order to investigate the implementation about pharmacy services focusing on home care and to identify differences in functional characteristics in accordance with pharmacy location, questionnaire surveys were conducted on all 75 pharmacies belonging to T-City Pharmaceutical Association in a suburban area and on all 161 belonging to K-Ward Pharmaceutical Association in a central downtown district. Using data, a principal component analysis was performed. The following services were investigated: medication guidance for patients and their families; provision of drug information to patients; management of patients' drug history; dispensing; advice to physicians; inquiries; management of prescriptions for home infusion services; sales of items such as over-the-counter [OTC] drugs [commercially available drugs that do not require a physician's prescription]; display and catalogue sales of nursing items; consultation on home care; holding events such as health education programs; guidance for drug management by home visits; and information exchange with other medical professionals and social workers. The results of these surveys were as follows. (1) The following services were regularly performed in both urban and suburban areas: medication guidance for patients and their families; provision drug information to patients; management of patients' drug history; dispensing; advice to physicians; inquiries; and sales of OTC drugs. (2) The following services were not difficiently regularly performed in both areas: display and catalogue sales of nursing items; consultation on home care; holding events such as health education programs; guidance for drug management by home visits; and information exchange. (3) As to principal component analysis, pharmacy functions were divided into 3 components and the dispensing service strongly influenced the functional characteristics in T-City. Whereas, in K-Ward, pharmacy functions were divided into 4 components and consultation and information exchange were strong influences. (4) Home care-relate pharmacy services were closely associated with information exchange on both areas. This implies that enforcing information exchange among pharmacists and other health practitioners and social welfare practitioners is an essential factor to expand implementation of home-care related pharmacy services.
Onda
Mitsuko
M
Dept. of Hygiene & Public Health, Osaka Mecical College.
Kono
Koichi
K
Watanabe
Takemasa
T
Watanabe
Misuzu
M
Arisue
Masatoshi
M
Akashi
Mitsuya
M
Fukutomi
Akinori
A
Oura
Kiyohiro
K
Horiuchi
Toshitaka
T
D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000639:trends*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000639:trends*; D007564:Japan; D012957:Societies, Pharmaceutical; D019036:Suburban Health Services / Q000639:trends; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000639:trends