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Community pharmacists' perceptions on multidisciplinary heart failure care: an exploratory qualitative study
Willem Raat1, Pauline Truyts2, Justine Gaillaert2
1Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7, blok D bus 7001 3000, Leuven, Belgium. willem.raat@kuleuven.be.
BMC Health Services Research
|June 14, 2023
Summary
Community pharmacists in Belgium see their vital role in heart failure (HF) management, but face barriers like diagnostic uncertainty and poor communication. Improved electronic health records and interprofessional relationships are recommended for better HF care.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) necessitates multidisciplinary management as per guidelines.
- Pharmacists are integral to heart failure care teams in both hospital and community settings.
- This study investigates community pharmacists' perspectives on their role in HF management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore community pharmacists' perceptions of their involvement in heart failure (HF) care.
- To identify perceived roles, assets, and barriers in HF management by community pharmacists.
- To understand the dynamics of multidisciplinary collaboration in community-based HF care from the pharmacist's viewpoint.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative study involving face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 13 Belgian community pharmacists.
- Interviews were conducted between September 2020 and December 2020.
- Data analysis followed the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven (QUAGOL) method, utilizing a thematic matrix until data saturation.
Main Results:
- Pharmacists acknowledge responsibility for pharmacological and non-pharmacological HF management, leveraging accessibility and expertise.
- Key barriers include diagnostic uncertainty, knowledge gaps, time constraints, disease complexity, and communication challenges with patients and caregivers.
- General practitioners are key partners, yet pharmacists report issues with appreciation, cooperation, and communication.
Conclusions:
- Belgian community pharmacists affirm the importance of their role in multidisciplinary heart failure teams, highlighting their accessibility and expertise.
- Barriers to evidence-based care for outpatients with HF include diagnostic uncertainty, disease complexity, inadequate multidisciplinary IT, and insufficient resources.
- Recommendations include enhancing electronic health record data exchange and strengthening interprofessional relationships between pharmacists and general practitioners.
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