Pharmacy Service model for suitable delivery of asthma services

Project Member(s): Garcia Cardenas, M.

Funding or Partner Organisation: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Contract research)

Start year: 2014

Summary: INTRODUCTION AND JUSTIFICATION: We have considerable evidence that pharmacists can provide services for asthma which improve health outcomes, increase adherence, are cost effective and which patients value. However, as with most of the research models developed so far, once the initial research support and facilitation is over, the practice is not sustained. The reasons for this are multi factional including inappropriate implementation assistance, lack of consideration of the impact of the service on the pharmacy business, incomplete understanding of the drivers to make clinical services profitable, pressure to perform other duties which give a quicker return on investment as well as professional matters such as lack of knowledge on how to undertake sustainable practice change, optimize service delivery and interact with patients and medical practitioners. OBJECTIVES: 1. To test an implementation model in community pharmacies using asthma services 2. To measure the success of the implementation program process in terms of fidelity and reach 3. To measure patient outcomes (adherence, inhaler technique and asthma control) 4. To measure various stages to the eventual sustainability of the program. METHOD: The research question of this project is how to combine an evidence based professional asthma management program and an implementation model to successfully deliver these services in Australian community pharmacies. Methodologically, the study will be using a mixed methods approach combining quantitative (statistics) and qualitative data (interviews and participant observation). Interventions will be delivered at two levels, therefore there will be two different study samples: Level 1: Pharmacists and pharmacies Pharmacies and pharmacists will be recruited through email and letter. All volunteer pharmacies will be contacted to explain the study and of those wishing to participate, the Research Team will select a random sample of 18 pharmacies

Publications:

Fuller, JM, Saini, B, Bosnic-Anticevich, S, Garcia Cardenas, V, Benrimoj, SI & Armour, C 2017, 'Testing evidence routine practice: Using an implementation framework to embed a clinically proven asthma service in Australian community pharmacy', Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 989-996.
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Garcia-Cardenas, V, Armour, C, Benrimoj, SI, Martinez-Martinez, F, Rotta, I & Fernandez-Llimos, F 2016, 'Pharmacists' interventions on clinical asthma outcomes: a systematic review', EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 1134-1143.
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Keywords: Asthma, Professional Services, Community pharmacy, Implementation research

FOR Codes: Respiratory Diseases, Health and Community Services, Evaluation of Health Outcomes, Respiratory diseases

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.