Which pharmacists contribute to high-level pharmacotherapy audit meetings with general practitioners?
BACKGROUND
In the Netherlands, community pharmacists and general practitioners (GPs) collaborate in pharmacotherapy audit meetings (PTAMs) to optimize pharmacotherapy.


OBJECTIVE
To identify associations between the quality level of PTAMs and characteristics of pharmacists.


METHODS
We used a cross-sectional questionnaire design in a Dutch general practice and community pharmacy setting to estimate the contribution of pharmacists to the quality level of PTAMs. The questionnaire was sent to 123 community pharmacies working closely with 104 GP practices. The outcome variable was the quality level of PTAMs. The questionnaire provided information on 4 topics that were used as independent variables: characteristics of the PTAMs, provision of pharmacotherapy activities, characteristics of the pharmacists, and characteristics of the pharmacies.


RESULTS
In total, 109 (88.6%) pharmacists completed the questionnaire, with 103 participating in 62 different PTAMs. Seventeen pharmacists participated in level 1 PTAMs (lowest level), 57 in level 2, 21 in level 3, and 8 in PTAMs at the highest level. The multinomial logistic regression identified only one significant association: pharmacists who participated in the highest quality level reported that they undertake initiatives in PTAMs (OR 2.98; 95% CI 1.07 to 8.26) more frequently compared with pharmacists participating on the lowest level.


CONCLUSIONS
In light of existing evidence, the role of pharmacists in PTAMs seems to be important. Pharmacists should create a distinct profile of their expertise, allowing them to professionalize PTAMs by undertaking more initiatives. PTAMs offer pharmacists a great opportunity to become integral members of the prescribing process.
Florentinus
Stefan R
SR
Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
van Hulten
Rolf
R
Kramer
Marjolein
M
van Dijk
Liset
L
Heerdink
Eibert R
ER
Leufkens
Hubert G M
HG
Groenewegen
Peter P
PP
D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit / Q000379:methods; D009426:Netherlands; D010595:Pharmacists; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires