Physicians' Perspectives on Collaboration with Community Pharmacists: Implications for Collaborative Care in Jordan

Background/Objectives: Collaboration between physicians and community pharmacists (CPs) is important for ensuring high-quality healthcare delivery. However, evidence on physician-CP collaboration in Jordan remains limited, and no studies have specifically examined physicians' perspectives on collaboration with CPs. This study aimed to explore physicians' experiences and attitudes towards collaboration with CPs, their views on the impact of such collaboration on patient care, and their perceptions of CPs' professional roles. Methods: Between January and March 2025, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 380 physicians in Amman, Jordan, using convenience sampling. A five-section self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential methods in SPSS version 28. Results: Of the 380 physicians directly invited to participate, 209 completed the questionnaire. All participants reported previous collaboration with CPs, although the frequency varied. Nearly half of the participants reported that collaboration occurred sometimes (47.4%, n = 99). Physicians perceived that CPs only sometimes had adequate clinical skills (59.3%, n = 124), confidence (61.2%, n = 128), or knowledge (65.6%, n = 137) to deliver effective patient care. Most physicians (>74%) demonstrated positive attitudes towards collaboration with CPs, particularly regarding communication, mutual respect, and shared goals in patient care. Nevertheless, neutral attitudes were reported towards trust in CPs' professional decisions (42.1%, n = 88), meeting professional expectations (33.0%, n = 69), and therapeutic expertise (46.9%, n = 98). Almost all physicians agreed that collaboration with CPs could improve patient outcomes (98.1%, n = 205) and continuity of care (89.0%, n = 186). Physicians also expressed positive perceptions of CPs' professional roles, mainly in improving medication adherence (91.9%, n = 192). Significant overall differences in attitude (p = 0.035) and perception (p = 0.025) scores were observed according to physicians' job description; however, post hoc analysis identified a significant pairwise difference only for perception scores between general practitioners and specialists. Conclusions: This study found that the majority of physicians reported previous collaboration with CPs and generally held positive views and attitudes towards collaborative practice. However, uncertainty regarding CPs' expertise and decision-making abilities suggests the necessity of professional role clarification and trust-building. These findings should be interpreted in the context of a convenience sample of physicians practising in Amman, predominantly in the private sector, and should not be generalised to all physicians in Jordan. Future research exploring CPs' perspectives on collaboration with physicians is needed to support the findings of this study.