Unpacking the value of pharmacists in team-based primary care in British Columbia, Canada: a qualitative evaluation

The pharmacy profession has been continuously evolving, redefining pharmacists' scope of practice within various practice settings to meet the ongoing societal needs, demands and patient expectations. Pharmacists are increasingly becoming part of primary care teams in countries such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In British Columbia, Canada, primary care clinical pharmacists (PCCPs) were incorporated into developing primary care networks (PCNs) over a three-year period. Our project aimed to gain insight into how the role of PCCPs is perceived by their interprofessional team (IPT) members in addition to how the pharmacists themselves view their contribution to team-based primary care.

This project was conducted as part of the evaluation of the Pharmacists in PCN Program and was informed by Qualitative Description methodology. Data was collected at two time points during program implementation. Participants included program team members, PCCPs and PCN members (administrators, IPT members, and prescribers) who were invited via e-mail to participant in virtual individual interviews and focus groups.

Prescribers and PCN IPT members felt supported when collaborating with PCCPs for the shared care of mutual patients. Additionally, PCCPs believed that team members valued their role. There was a recognized need for PCCPs to be co-located in clinics as efficient, reliable, and accessible team members owing to their role in medication management, offering patient-centred recommendations and follow-up care plans to optimize medication regimens, providing patient education which empowers patients to advocate for their health needs, prioritizing patient autonomy, decreasing the amount of time prescribers and IPT members spend on complex patients, and supporting patients who do not have immediate access to a family physician.

Perceptions of the PCCP's contribution to IPTs were overwhelmingly positive. The PCCP's specific role in addressing aspects of patient care that other health care providers may overlook, and their possession of knowledge, expertise, and skills which fall outside other team members' scope of work has led to their recognition as an essential team member. However, more research is needed to look beyond the pharmacist's impact on providing longitudinal medication management, as perceived by all members of the primary care team.