[Communication about prescription interventions between pharmacists and general practitioners]

Pharmacists intervene on about 2 % of prescriptions dispensed in Norwegian community pharmacies. The aim of this study was to explore how general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists communicate and document prescription interventions, and to discuss what both professions consider to be best practice.

Five GPs, five community pharmacists and two medical secretaries were recruited, from two regions in Norway, to form two focus groups. The groups were invited to discuss 12 real examples of prescription interventions (from a former study of pharmacy practice) from six intervention categories. Statements from the focus groups were analyzed and recurrent themes identified.

The GPs and pharmacists described varying management of the pharmacists' prescription interventions. Both expected the other profession to file these interventions and would only file a selection themselves. Correction of prescription interventions was not a well-established functionality of the GPs' electronic medical record systems. Lack of guidelines caused individual variations in both GP and pharmacist handling of such interventions. In general, the pharmacists prioritized to contact GPs for the clinically relevant interventions. GPs wanted more feedback than that provided by the pharmacists.

Joint guidelines for use in pharmacies and GP surgeries, are needed on communication, documentation, and priorities of prescription interventions. IT-software should be developed to facilitate real-time communication between the parties.