Factors affecting collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians

To have a positive impact on patient outcomes achieved with drug therapy, it is likely that pharmacists will work more closely with physicians to manage medications collaboratively. Yet, little is known about the factors that will support such collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians.

The objective of this study was to identify significant influences on collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians, from the perspective of pharmacists.

Data were collected through a survey mailed to a national sample of 321 pharmacists identified by state pharmacy associations as being innovative practitioners. Three types of influences were assessed: individual characteristics, contextual factors, and exchange characteristics. Individual characteristics included demographics and a personality measure. Context variables included practice environment and professional interactions between pharmacists and physicians. Exchange characteristics were trustworthiness, role specification, and relationship initiation. Four items asked about the pharmacist's collaborative care with a physician. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed with collaborative care as the dependent variable and the individual, context, and exchange characteristics as the independent variables.

One hundred sixty-six usable surveys (53.4%) were returned. About 64% of the respondents were male, with a mean age of 43.7 (SD+/-11.2) years. Linear regression analysis of the complete model produced an R(2)=0.805 (P<.001). Significant predictors in the model included the context variable, professional interaction, and the exchange characteristics, trustworthiness and role specification.

Overall, the collaborative working relationship model largely explained collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians. Researchers are encouraged to use these findings when studying pharmacist-physician collaboration. In addition, pharmacists seeking to work with physicians should attend to developing trustworthiness and clarifying their clinical roles with physicians.