Physicians' perceptions and expectations of pharmacists' professional duties in government hospitals in Kuwait

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the perceptions, expectations and experience of physicians with hospital-based pharmacists in Kuwait.

A piloted self-administered questionnaire was hand delivered to 200 physicians practicing in four government hospitals in Kuwait. Main sections of the questionnaire comprised a series of statements pertaining to physicians' perceptions, expectations and experiences with pharmacists.

One hundred and twenty (60%) questionnaires were returned. At least 57% of physicians in Kuwait appear comfortable with pharmacists carrying out patient-directed roles. In addition, they appeared to have high expectations of pharmacists, with 79% of them regarding pharmacists as knowledgeable drug therapy experts. Less than 60% considered pharmacists as applying their drug knowledge in practice and only 29% agreed that pharmacists routinely counselled their patients. There was no correlation between physician variables such as number of years since graduation from medical school, age, area of practice and their perceptions of pharmacists.

Physicians in Kuwait appear comfortable with pharmacists providing a broad range of services but appear somewhat less comfortable with pharmacists' provision of direct patient care. Physicians considered pharmacists knowledgeable drug therapy experts, but regarded them as not routinely providing a broad range of higher-level pharmacy services.