Factors Affecting Implementation of Pharmaceutical Care at Jimma University Specialized Hospital, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Pharmaceutical care is the responsible provision of medicine therapy for the purpose of a definite outcome that improves a patient’s quality of life. It is a necessary element of healthcare and the concept implies the active participation of the patient in medicine therapy decisions and, the cooperation of healthcare providers across disciplines. This study was conducted to explore factors that affect the implementation of pharmaceutical care at Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH). A prospective cross-sectional study with semi-structured self-administered questionnaire was conducted and complete survey technique was used for pharmacists working at JUSH and pharmacy post-graduate students. Fifty nine questionnaires were retrieved from the respondents that make the response rate around 89.39%. Significantly more than half of the respondents (69.49%) were male and slightly more than half (55.93%) were able enough to communicate through both Amharic and Afan Oromo. Lack of space and inappropriate layout within the pharmacy was found to be the strongest challenging factor for pharmaceutical care implementation at JUSH with 50.85 and 33.89% strongly agree and agree, respectively. Even though, the feasibility of pharmaceutical care in Ethiopia health system has been assured in previous studies, it is not well implemented at JUSH yet and is found in its early stage. Lack of space, trained personnel and time were identified in this study as inhibiting factors and therefore, enough and appropriate space and, sufficient pharmacists should be employed and freed to a greater extent from performing routine tasks which could be delegated with supervision to train supportive personnel, thereby expanding professional pharmacy service.

Keywords: Pharmaceutical care, Implementation, Barrier, Jimma University Specialized Hospital

Cite this Article

Gebremichael Tesfay, Shibiru Tesema, Eliyas Kadi Abafita. Factors Affecting Implementation of Pharmaceutical Care at Jimma University Specialized Hospital, South West Ethiopia, Research and Reviews: A Journal of Pharmaceutical Science. 2016; 7(3): 30–40p.