Assessing the Challenges of Managing Pharmacy Services in Public Hospitals in Erbil City

Pharmacy services in public hospitals are crucial for improving patients' health and effectively managing diseases. Previously, these services were limited to dispensing medications and counseling; they have now expanded to include a more integrated, patient-centered approach that actively supports clinical decisions and enhances treatment outcomes.

This study aims to identify and explore the pharmacy services provided in Erbil's public hospitals, highlighting the primary challenges encountered and the strategies employed to address them.

An exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The qualitative phase consisted of semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews with nine pharmacy heads in Erbil's public hospitals, which were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-step method to identify themes. This phase was followed by a quantitative phase, which involved a structured, closed-ended questionnaire distributed to 250 pharmacy staff, with the data analyzed using SPSS 24.

In the qualitative phase, five main themes emerged, identifying the state of pharmacy services and the significant challenges that directly impact the quality of care, including frequent drug shortages (N = 9), staffing shortages (N = 5), technological limitations (N = 8), and regulatory challenges (N = 9). In the quantitative phase, data from 212 completed questionnaires revealed the range of pharmacy services provided by public hospitals, including medication dispensing (88.2%), counseling (42.85%), inventory management (72.64%), and clinical services (48.11%), as well as the challenges faced in delivering these services effectively. Therefore, systematic strategies are needed to overcome these barriers.

The findings of this study indicate that the provision of pharmacy services within Erbil's public hospitals faces numerous challenges, indicating the need for increased investments in public hospitals, improved regulatory support, and the adoption of technological resources, all of which are essential for the advancement of pharmacy services and the improvement of patient outcomes.