title: Controversy and consensus on a clinical pharmacist in primary care in the Netherlands.
abstract: Background Controversy about the introduction of a non-dispensing pharmacist in primary care practice hampers implementation. Objective The aim of this study is to systematically map the debate on this new role for pharmacists amongst all stakeholders to uncover and understand the controversy and consensus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary health care in the Netherlands. Method Q methodology. 163 participants rank-ordered statements on issues concerning the integration of a non-dispensing pharmacist in primary care practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stakeholder perspectives on the role of the non-dispensing pharmacist and pharmaceutical care in primary care. Results This study identified the consensus on various features of the non-dispensing pharmacist role as well as the financial, organisational and collaborative aspects of integrating a non-dispensing pharmacist in primary care practice. Q factor analysis revealed four perspectives: "the independent community pharmacist", "the independent clinical pharmacist", "the dependent clinical pharmacist" and "the medication therapy management specialist". These four perspectives show controversies to do with the level of professional independency of the non-dispensing pharmacist and the level of innovation of task performance. Conclusion Despite the fact that introducing new professional roles in healthcare can lead to controversy, the results of this Q study show the potential of a non-dispensing pharmacist as a pharmaceutical care provider and the willingness for interprofessional collaboration. The results from the POINT intervention study in the Netherlands will be an important next step in resolving current controversies.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.c.m.hazen@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Ankie C M
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hazen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aletta W van der
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Wal
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vivianne M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Sloeserwij
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dorien L M
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Zwart
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Care, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan J de
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gier
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Niek J de
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Wit
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Leendertse
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marcel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bouvy
authors.affiliation: Institute for Policy and Management in Health Care, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Antoinette A de
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bont
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D032921:Consensus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000592:standards*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D024382:Professional Role
keywords: Clinical pharmacist; General practitioner; Integrated care; Netherlands; Primary care; Q method