Physicians' views on the professional roles of pharmacists in patient care in Eritrea
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

The Dyspepsia Educational Tool As a Novel Aid in Dyspepsia Management
Published on: June 29, 2019
Merhawi Teklai Awalom1, Medhanie Elias Kidane, Biruck Woldai Abraha
1The School of Pharmacy, Asmara College of Health Sciences, Asmara, Eritrea, merhawiteklai@ymail.com.
Objective:
A collaborative relationship between physicians and pharmacists is crucial in the patient oriented role of pharmacists. In order to get an optimal patient outcome, strong cooperation between pharmacists and physicians is necessary. It is evident that in patient-oriented activities of pharmacists, their roles should be appropriately perceived and welcomed by physicians. This survey, thus, aimed to explore the perception of Eritrean physicians towards the professional roles of pharmacists in patient care.
Setting:
The study was conducted in all hospitals in Asmara.
Method:
A self administered questionnaire was distributed to the physicians working in Asmara hospitals. The instrument contained questions to evaluate the physicians' level of agreement using a 5-point Likert type scale.
Main Outcome Measure:
Opinions of physicians on the professional role of pharmacists.
Results:
Out of the 55 questionnaires distributed 50 were completed and returned, giving a response rate of 90.91 %. Most of the physicians accepted the reprofessionalization of pharmacy profession (88 %); majority disagreed that pharmacists are using their full potential in patient care (60 %); physicians strongly agreed or agreed that they should accept pharmacists' recommendations on patients' medication (96 %).
Conclusions:
Generally the physicians appreciated the professional role of pharmacists in patient care. They agreed with the idea of re-professionalization of pharmacy into patient care. For conclusive evidence nationwide study is recommended.
Related Concept Videos
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Impact of Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Models: Regulatory Decisions
Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Relationship: Problems
Interdisciplinary Care: The Health Care Team-I
Physicians
The physician's primary responsibility is to diagnose illness and direct the medical or surgical treatment of the condition. The authority to admit patients to a healthcare agency or institution and practice care within that setting is granted to physicians by the healthcare agency or institution itself.
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
