Understanding patient perceptions of the delivery of patient-centred care by clinical pharmacists.

Abstract

Background It is recognised that patients can take a more direct role in their health, and assessing health care through the eyes of the patient is increasingly important. Currently there is no globally recognised definition of patient-centred care. Eight domains identified by Picker Institute/Harvard Medical School are regarded as the most commonly accepted principles for patient care surveys, [1] however no pharmacy-specific tool exists to collect this information.

Aims/Objective(s) To evaluate and explore patient perceptions of care provided by a regional clinical pharmacy service through the development of a patient care survey.

Methods Following review of literature and previously validated surveys, a 13-question survey was constructed, pilot tested and delivered to acute medical inpatients. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older who had at least one interaction with a clinical pharmacist and were able to independently answer the survey. Surveys were distributed to participants by researchers and nursing staff assisted with return of completed surveys.

Results Of the 51 surveys distributed, 44 (86%) met eligibility criteria and were included in the final analysis. The clinical pharmacy service was rated positively (good/outstanding) by 93% (n=41) of participants. In terms of patient-centred care, participants most strongly agreed that pharmacists considered physical comfort (domain three), provided emotional support (domain two) and communicated information/provided education (domain four) during consultations. Domains five (continuity/transition of care) and six (access to care) were identified as possible areas for improvement with 39% (n=17) indicating they were unsure how to contact the pharmacist for future concerns or follow up after discharge.

Conclusion A tool to explore perceptions of care delivered by clinical pharmacists demonstrated strong adherence to patient-centred care principles, as reported by acute medical inpatients. The tool could be applied to other patient groups or broader healthcare settings to gain further insight from the patient perspective.