Stratification in pharmaceutical care: a concept analysis

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Care
• Health Services Research
• Concept Analysis

Background:

• The application of stratification in pharmaceutical care is growing but lacks conceptual clarity.
• Ambiguous definitions lead to inconsistent implementation and hinder the development of standardized tools.
• Stratification is often confused with triage, clinical scoring, or prioritization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define and clarify the concept of stratification within pharmaceutical care.
• To identify the defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of stratification.

Main Methods:

• A structured concept analysis using the Walker and Avant framework.
• A comprehensive literature search of biomedical databases (2000-2025).
• Thematic analysis of included empirical, theoretical, and conceptual articles.

Main Results:

• Four defining attributes of stratification were identified: patient-centered segmentation, prioritization of care intensity, resource-sensitive allocation, and structured re-stratification.
• Antecedents include clinical complexity, limited pharmacist availability, and the need for value-based care.
• Consequences and empirical referents were identified, differentiating stratification from triage and risk scoring.

Conclusions:

• This concept analysis provides a theory-based foundation for stratification in pharmaceutical care.
• Clearer conceptualization supports consistency in developing and implementing patient prioritization models.
• Improved understanding facilitates better evaluation of stratified care models across healthcare settings.