• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.280-291
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• 2011

Vaccines are products for immunization which can provoke antibodies by eliciting immune reponses without causing disease and have played an important role in preventing fatal and contagious diseases as well as H1N1 influenza. They are classified by two following categories; lived attenuated vaccine and killed vaccine and currently commonly using vaccines are BCG, diphtheria, tetanus, mumps, measles, rubella, polio, Haemophilus influenza type b, hepatitis B, influenza etc. All vaccines must be used correctly to reach optimal therapeutic goals and also informed well to patients to decrease potential problems. In order to do, pharmacists must have good knowledge of vaccines. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the necessity of vaccine education for pharmacists and develop a vaccine leaflet for patient counseling. We have performed a survey with questionnaire for a total of 176 pharmacists and nurses(hospital pharmacists, n=65; community pharmacists, n=50; hospital nurses, n=61) from January 27th to March 12th, 2010. The questionnaire includes items about vaccine education and counseling and 12 quizzes to evaluate responders' knowledge of vaccines. We used the SPSS(Version 12. for windows) program to analyze the data. In results, 94.9% of all responders said they had not been educated on vaccines. And only 1.1% of all responders said they know about vaccines enough to counsel patients. Pharmacists who have an experience recommending vaccines to other people are 21.7%. On the other hand, nurses who have an experience recommending vaccines to other people are 55.7%(p=0.000). The mean number of correct answers at the 12 quizzes are followings; hospital pharmacist, 8.1; community pharmacist, 6.1, hospital nurses, 6.2(p=0.000). A vaccine leaflet for patient counseling is developed with several references. In conclusion, due to no opportunity of vaccine education, pharmacists have no confidence to counsel patients and lack of knowledge of vaccine. But importance of vaccine's role is increasing, pharmacists should counsel patients in vaccination. So they need vaccine education and a vaccine leaflet will be helpful for their counseling.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.131-145
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• 2009

Background: Medication counseling is important to improve qualify of pharmaceutical care, but there are lack of studies to investigate satisfied counseling practice in community pharmacies. Purpose: This study was to investigate current medication counseling provided by community pharmacists. Method: Questionnaires to assess medication counseling practices were mailed to nationwide 1,269 community pharmacists who were Sookmyung Women's University alumni. Result: One hundred sixty five pharmacists were responded to the questionnaires (response rate 13.63%). 16.8% of them all respondents had counseling room in their pharmacies. 75% and 29.9% of respondents provided patient counseling always for new and refilled prescriptions, respectively. Counseling was provided primarily by verbal, but especially for drug name, usage and storage, it was provided in written concurrently. 31.1% of respondents was satisfied with counseling practices by themselves, and a major barrier of unsatisfied counseling was lack of time in 64.6% of respondents. Majorities of respondents (66.3% and 76.3%) spent 1-3 minutes and <1 minute, for new prescription and refilled prescription, respectively. Approximate 99% of respondents presented necessity of standardized patient counseling information for drugs and 97.6% responded that quality of patient counseling would be improved by using software containing counseling information. Old respondent group had higher accumulative patient counseling practice scores and pharmacy owner group took much time for counseling, resulting in higher scores too. Conclusion: This study showed that qualified patient counseling practice has not been reached in community pharmacies. Much more discussion to seek ways to improve the quality would be necessary.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2021

Background: The Life-Sustaining Treatment Decision-Making Act has allowed anyone aged 19 or older to sign an Advance Directive not to receive life-sustaining treatment when they are in the 'death process'. Recently, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association announced to raise awareness of the Advance Directive to the general public through community pharmacies across the country. This study aimed to investigate the public's willingness to accept pharmacist's consultation regarding the Advance Directive and to present future directions to pharmacists Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire study using 16-items was conducted in adults, Study subjects were recruited by convenience sampling method during August 5-15, 2020. Results: Of 460 respondents, 51.7% were younger than 30-year-old and 58.7% were not in the healthcare field in terms of job or major. 60.2% knew about the Advance Directive and 81.7% agreed the necessity to sign when healthy. 50.0% had the willingness to consult with pharmacists on the Advance Directive for well-dying and 80.4% preferred verbal explanation together with written information. Simple linear regression analysis results showed a significant relationship between trust in pharmacists or satisfaction with pharmacist's communication and willingness to use pharmacist' consultation on the Advance Directive (1-point increases in values measured on a five-point scale are associated with 0.464 and 0.486 increases, respectively.) Conclusion: This study suggests that pharmacists need to improve the public's trust and communication capability to satisfy with public's demands on well-dying service.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2022

Background: In modern society, the number of households raising companion animals increases, and the market for veterinary medicines is expanding even more. This study aims to investigate the perception of companion animal lovers' veterinary medicines, the necessity of specific guidance by pharmacists for veterinary medicines, the role of pharmacists at veterinary pharmacies, and ways to fulfill that role. Methods: This study evaluated veterinary medicines and medication guidance through Google online questionnaire targeting pet-lovers from December 20, 2021, until January 19, 2022. The questions consist of 1) characteristics of petlovers, 2) purchase history and drug recognition of veterinary drugs, 3) use of veterinary vaccines, 4) use of diagnostic kits, and 5) guidance of veterinary medicines by local pharmacists. Results: The respondents' experience purchasing veterinary drugs was as high as 94.4%. The most purchased drug was heartworm-preventing products, and vaccination was performed mainly at veterinary clinics (veterinarians). The respondents primarily purchased veterinary medicines for companion animals at veterinary hospitals and did not know the name of the drugs which they bought. In addition, respondents expected to receive specific information on veterinary medicines from pharmacists. Conclusion: As the number of veterinary pharmacies in the community will increase with the expansion of the companion animal market, pharmacists should play their role as experts in veterinary medicines through systematic and continuous professional education.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.129-140
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• 2014

Background: As elderly population has been increasing, pharmacists need to possess special knowledge and skills to provide enhanced pharmaceutical care for senior patients. Purpose: This study aims to systematically review on (1) the certified geriatric pharmacists (CGP) system, (2) the curriculum related to geriatric pharmacy education, and (3) the CGP's performance in terms of clinical, economic and humanistic outcomes in the U.S. Method: The information related to CGP system and curriculum was obtained through the official websites of 'American Society of Consultant Pharmacists', 'Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy' and the selected pharmacy school samples. Articles about on the outcomes of pharmacist-provided cognitive services including Medication Therapy Management were searched through PubMed. Results: To gain the CGP credential, pharmacists need 2-year experience as pharmacist in advance and take the CGP examination. This certification must be renewed every 5 year. Most pharmacy schools provide geriatric-related curriculum through didactic or pharmacy practice classes for pharmacy students and certificate or dual degree in gerontology are given on completion. Most previous outcomes research reported that pharmacists have played a role in yielding favorable results regarding clinical, economic and humanistic outcomes for nursing facilities, hospitals and community pharmacy settings. Conclusion: Considering the organized CGP certification system and concrete educational courses established the basis for pharmacists to exert their ability for senior patients of the U.S., it is suggested to build a geriatric pharmacist credential model for pharmacists to provide the increasing elderly patients with the requisite safe and effective pharmacy care in Korea.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.432-439
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• 2011

The effects of characteristics of community pharmacists on consultation time for prescription (RX) and nonprescription drugs (nRX) were investigated. A crosssectional descriptive design was established with a self-administered anonymous mail survey. Response rate was 52%. Significant pharmacists' factors related to having less than 3 minutes consultation for RX were one's dispensing duties exceeding 50%, low satisfaction with one's own level of consultation, working at the pharmacies nearby clinics, or shorter duration of consultation time for nRX. Consultation promoting conditions should be built up for the provision of sufficient consultation.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.272-281
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• 2014

Objective: The provision of pharmaceutical care service in compliance with good pharmacy practice (GPP) standards is important, but there is lack of studies to investigate the barriers that significantly hinder community pharmacies in Korea from adhering to the standards. This study was aimed to identify the major barriers to provision of pharmaceutical care service in compliance with the proposed pharmacy practice standards which have been developed based on the GPP standards recommended jointly by WHO and FIP. Methods: Questionnaires reviewed by the expert committee were posted for 32 days on the website which is most frequently accessed by community pharmacists. The respondents completed them by checking the scores (Max=5, Min=1) for major barriers to provision of pharmaceutical care service focusing on patient information management and drug use review process in prescription fillings. The answered scores were automatically collected using online data processing. Mean differences between scored data were assessed by ANOVA. Results: Total 321 pharmacists participated in the survey. Results indicated that 'difficulty of diagnosis identification' (m=3.92, SD=1.21), 'lack of time' (m=3.48, SD=1.22) and 'lack of updated clinical information' (m=3.17, SD=1.10) were the major barriers to provision of pharmaceutical care service in patient information management. The main barriers to drug utilization review were 'lack of time' (m=3.32, SD=1.21), 'lack of updated clinical information' (m=3.11, SD=1.17), and 'negative feedbacks or refusals from prescribers' (m=3.00, SD=1.38). There were significant differences among the groups by location, employed number of pharmacists and acceptability to the proposed GPP standards. Conclusion: Difficulties in managing patient clinical information and lack of time were found to be the major barriers in providing pharmaceutical care services in community pharmacies in Korea. Further research is recommended to determine ways to reduce these barriers in order to provide quality pharmaceutical care service that is in compliance with the internationally recognized GPP guidelines.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.368-376
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• 2009

DUR (Drug Utilization Review) originally referred to the evaluation of drug usage details: however DUR refers to the system used to support the services of prescribing and dispensing through linking from Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) Service in Korea. HIRA is going to begin the DUR enforcement for extending to nationwide coverage after pilot test. Objectives: The aims for this study were to evaluate and clarify the current opinions of the pharmacists for the recognition and acceptance rates before nationwide coverage concerning DUR system. Methods: A 16-question-questionnaire was developed and pilot tested. For 40 days of survey by both on-line and fax paper, it was carried out on 80 pharmacists working at community pharmacy in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. Results: Most of answers were broadly positive and interested in begining the DUR system and kept in mind that the goal of DUR is safety guarantee for people. On the other hand, most of answerers worry that delay of patient waiting time and inharmonious communication with doctors in DUR processing can be a major obstacle to begin the DUR system. Conclusion: To solve several problems, the most important things are to make good reciprocal relationships between doctors and pharmacists, investigate intervention tool to shorten patient waiting time, and activate educational program of inspecting items for the pharmacists.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.231-237
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• 2015

Backgrounds: Patient counseling has been forced since June. 19, 2014. Prior to this, there was no study to try to standardize medication counseling to improve quality. Purpose: This study was to investigate satisfaction level and comprehension level between the pharmacist group and the patient group about standardized medication counseling sheet. Methods: Questionnaires to assess standardized patient counseling sheet were posted at online survey software (Qualtrics) to pharmacists who worked at community pharmacy and patients who had visited community pharmacy before. Results: Three hundred thirty five patients and three hundred nineteen pharmacists were responded to the questionnaire (Response rate: 72.9%). More than half of each group were satisfied with standardized medication counseling sheets 'for the general public', 'for the pregnant women and nursing mothers', 'for the chronic patient', and 'for the aged' and patient group were more satisfied than pharmacist group. Similarly, more than half of each group comprehended with the medication counseling sheets 'for the general public', 'for the pregnant women and nursing mothers', 'for the chronic patient', and 'for the aged'. Patient group tended to expect longer patient counseling time per one drug than pharmacist group. Also, the majority of both groups wanted to provide standardized medication counseling sheets constantly and extend for all drugs. Conclusion: Both groups were satisfied and comprehended standardized medication counseling sheets, and agreed to expand standardized medication counseling sheets to all drugs. So, it is necessary to build the standardized medication counseling of all drugs.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.402-411
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• 2019

This study aimed to identify priorities in community pharmacist's roles in aged society using Analytic Hierarchy Process. We developed a survey questionnaire for AHP, which consisted of 19 pharmacist's roles selected from the FIP/WHO guidelines. The AHP survey questionnaire was self-administered by 127 pharmacists. The results showed that pharmacists put medication therapy management at the highest priority, preparation, dispense, distribution of medication at the second priority, and efficient healthcare system at the lowest priority. Among the 19 roles, new roles such as monitoring of medication therapy results, team-based health care, and transitions of care obtained relatively high priority.