title: Reflections on the role of the pharmacy regulatory authority in enhancing quality related event reporting in community pharmacies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the demanding nature of providing pharmacy services, coupled with the expanded scope of practice of the professions in jurisdictions around the world, greater commitment to continuous quality improvement through adoption of quality-related event (QRE) reporting is necessary to ensure patient safety. Pharmacy regulatory authorities (PRAs) are in a unique position to enhance QRE reporting and learning through the standardization of expected practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed to gain a better understanding of the perceived roles of PRAs in enhancing QRE reporting and learning in community pharmacies, and identifying regulatory best practices to execute such roles.
  
  
  METHODS
  A purposive case sampling approach was used to identify PRA staff members from two groups (Deputy registrars and pharmacy inspectors) in 10 Canadian jurisdictions to participate in focus groups in the fall of 2011. Focus groups were used to explore perceptions of the role of PRAs in enhancing and promoting QRE reporting and learning, and perceived barriers to effective implementation in practice. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two focus groups were conducted, one with seven Deputy registrars/Practice managers, and one with nine pharmacy inspectors. Five themes were identified, including (1) defining QRE reporting and compliance, (2) navigating role conflict, (3) educating for enhanced QRE reporting and learning, (4) promoting the positive/removing the fear of QREs, and (5) tailoring QRE reporting and learning consistency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, participants perceived a strong role for PRAs in enhancing QRE reporting and learning and providing education for pharmacies to support their compliance with reporting standards. However, PRAs must navigate the conflict inherent in both educating and promoting a process for achieving a standard while simultaneously inspecting compliance to that standard. Ensuring pharmacies have autonomy in operationalizing standards may help to mitigate this conflict. Finally, greater education for PRAs themselves to better inspect compliance and in order to better communicate the benefits of QRE reporting and learning to pharmacies would be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Gerald Schwartz School of Business, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. Electronic address: tboyle@stfx.ca.
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.affiliation: Gerald Schwartz School of Business, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.affiliation: Gerald Schwartz School of Business, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mahaffey
authors.affiliation: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States.
authors.forename: Neil J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, England.
authors.forename: Darren M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ashcroft
authors.affiliation: Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Bev
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zwicker
authors.affiliation: Gerald Schwartz School of Business, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care
keywords: Pharmacy administration; Qualitative research; Quality assurance; Quality related events