Advanced diabetes credentials for the community pharmacist: A pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Diabetes Management
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Community pharmacists play a crucial role in diabetes care.
• Advanced credentials can enhance pharmacists' ability to manage diabetes.
• Limited data exists on the prevalence and perceptions of advanced diabetes credentials among community pharmacists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the percentage of Indiana community pharmacists with advanced diabetes credentials.
• To identify perceived benefits and barriers to obtaining these credentials.
• To assess future intent and interest in pursuing advanced diabetes credentials.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional statewide telephone survey of Indiana community pharmacists was conducted.
• Survey items included demographics, current credentials, and perceptions of diabetes credentials.
• Data was collected through dichotomous, Likert-scale, and open-ended questions.

Main Results:

• A high response rate of 88.5% (907 pharmacists) was achieved.
• Less than 1% (<1%) of pharmacists held current advanced diabetes credentials.
• While 50% believed credentials were important, 45% did not consider them necessary for patient care.

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists between the potential role of pharmacists in diabetes care and the current attainment of advanced credentials.
• Perceptions regarding the necessity of advanced credentials vary among pharmacists.
• This pilot study informs future nationwide surveys on community pharmacists' engagement with diabetes care specialization.