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Improving the working relationship between doctors and pharmacists: is inter-professional education the answer?
Ruth M Gallagher1, Helen C Gallagher
1Trinity College Dublin/Health Services Executive Specialist Training Programme, Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Trinity College Centre for Health Sciences, Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Tallaght, Ireland.
Advances in Health Sciences Education : Theory and Practice
|November 20, 2010
Summary
Effective doctor-pharmacist collaboration improves patient care, especially for chronic conditions. Enhancing these relationships requires better communication, agreed practices, and inter-professional education for optimal health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Professions
- Interprofessional Collaboration
- Patient Care
Background:
- Medicine and pharmacy professions have distinct differences impacting patient care.
- Poor communication between doctors and pharmacists contributes to medical errors.
- Effective collaboration significantly improves patient outcomes, particularly for chronic illnesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review factors influencing doctor-pharmacist working relationships.
- To discuss the importance of education and agreed practices in inter-professional collaboration.
- To highlight the role of collaboration in fulfilling the pharmacist's patient-centered role.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and discussion of existing research on doctor-pharmacist relationships.
- Analysis of the impact of communication and collaboration on patient care.
- Examination of educational strategies and changes in working practices.
Main Results:
- Improved doctor-pharmacist collaboration leads to better patient care and health outcomes.
- Clinical and antibiotic pharmacists influence hospital prescribing and infection control.
- The Irish Pharmacy Act (2007) mandates pharmaceutical care, requiring strong inter-professional teamwork.
Conclusions:
- Enhancing doctor-pharmacist relationships is crucial for patient-centered care.
- Inter-professional education and standardized working practices are key to improving collaboration.
- Addressing cultural, attitudinal, and practical differences is essential for optimizing healthcare delivery.
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