Facilitating collaboration between pharmacists and physicians using an iterative interview process.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Interprofessional Education
• Pharmacy Practice

Background:

• Effective collaboration between physicians and pharmacists is crucial for optimal patient care.
• Existing barriers can hinder interprofessional communication and coordinated efforts.
• Understanding shared challenges is key to developing effective collaborative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe common problems and solutions between pharmacists and physicians.
• To explore methods for enhancing interprofessional collaboration.
• To understand barriers to implementing collaborative practices.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, exploratory, nonexperimental study design was employed.
• Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with physicians and community pharmacists.
• Interviews were informed by previous individual interviews to facilitate discussion.

Main Results:

• Physicians and pharmacists identified areas for improved patient care through collaboration, including controlled substance monitoring and medication adherence.
• Discussions generated ideas for collaborative practice agreements and urgent communication mechanisms.
• Methods for implementing collaboration were also discussed.

Conclusions:

• Facilitated face-to-face interactions successfully stimulated dialogue on interprofessional collaboration.
• The interaction helped to dispel assumptions and build trust between physicians and pharmacists.
• Findings may empower pharmacists to proactively engage with physician colleagues for better patient outcomes.