Communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative study
Abstract Background As primary care pharmacists take on an increasingly important and collaborative role in managing patients with chronic diseases, communication barriers with patients and healthcare colleagues have emerged. This study aimed to explore the communication barriers faced by pharmacist...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02349-w |
| _version_ | 1797233388068798464 |
|---|---|
| author | Reuben Tan Ariffin Kawaja Swee Phaik Ooi Chirk Jenn Ng |
| author_facet | Reuben Tan Ariffin Kawaja Swee Phaik Ooi Chirk Jenn Ng |
| author_sort | Reuben Tan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background As primary care pharmacists take on an increasingly important and collaborative role in managing patients with chronic diseases, communication barriers with patients and healthcare colleagues have emerged. This study aimed to explore the communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team. Methods Twelve pharmacists working in five government primary care clinics were interviewed by a researcher using a topic guide. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis. Results Pharmacists’ management of patients with hypertension was found to be affected by communication challenges at three different levels: between pharmacists and patients, pharmacists and physicians, and physicians and patients. Barriers to communication between pharmacists and patients include language barrier, physical disabilities, medication brand changes, and specific challenges faced during video consultations. Barriers to communication between pharmacists and physicians include lack of access to patient information across institutions on the electronic medical records (EMR), inadequate and inappropriate documentation by physicians, and disruptive and ineffective phone calls by pharmacists to physicians. Barriers to communication between physicians and patients had a spillover effect on pharmacists; these barriers included language barrier, patients not discussing medication nonadherence with physicians, and conflicting advice given by physicians and pharmacists. Conclusions The communication barriers pharmacists faced when managing patients with hypertension involved multiple stakeholders. Many of the challenges resulted in patients having difficulty understanding and adhering to their management plan. Effective interventions to foster stronger interprofessional relationships and create a conducive platform of communication should be developed to address these communication barriers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:15:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-52fa8b4ccf0943bf9d67da5e049926d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-4553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:15:22Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-52fa8b4ccf0943bf9d67da5e049926d22024-03-31T11:27:44ZengBMCBMC Primary Care2731-45532024-03-0125111210.1186/s12875-024-02349-wCommunication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative studyReuben Tan0Ariffin Kawaja1Swee Phaik Ooi2Chirk Jenn Ng3Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of SingaporeSingHealth Polyclinics, SingHealthSingHealth Polyclinics, SingHealthSingHealth Polyclinics, SingHealthAbstract Background As primary care pharmacists take on an increasingly important and collaborative role in managing patients with chronic diseases, communication barriers with patients and healthcare colleagues have emerged. This study aimed to explore the communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team. Methods Twelve pharmacists working in five government primary care clinics were interviewed by a researcher using a topic guide. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis. Results Pharmacists’ management of patients with hypertension was found to be affected by communication challenges at three different levels: between pharmacists and patients, pharmacists and physicians, and physicians and patients. Barriers to communication between pharmacists and patients include language barrier, physical disabilities, medication brand changes, and specific challenges faced during video consultations. Barriers to communication between pharmacists and physicians include lack of access to patient information across institutions on the electronic medical records (EMR), inadequate and inappropriate documentation by physicians, and disruptive and ineffective phone calls by pharmacists to physicians. Barriers to communication between physicians and patients had a spillover effect on pharmacists; these barriers included language barrier, patients not discussing medication nonadherence with physicians, and conflicting advice given by physicians and pharmacists. Conclusions The communication barriers pharmacists faced when managing patients with hypertension involved multiple stakeholders. Many of the challenges resulted in patients having difficulty understanding and adhering to their management plan. Effective interventions to foster stronger interprofessional relationships and create a conducive platform of communication should be developed to address these communication barriers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02349-wBarriersHypertensionCommunicationPharmacistsMulti-disciplinary teamPrimary care |
| spellingShingle | Reuben Tan Ariffin Kawaja Swee Phaik Ooi Chirk Jenn Ng Communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative study BMC Primary Care Barriers Hypertension Communication Pharmacists Multi-disciplinary team Primary care |
| title | Communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | communication barriers faced by pharmacists when managing patients with hypertension in a primary care team a qualitative study |
| topic | Barriers Hypertension Communication Pharmacists Multi-disciplinary team Primary care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02349-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT reubentan communicationbarriersfacedbypharmacistswhenmanagingpatientswithhypertensioninaprimarycareteamaqualitativestudy AT ariffinkawaja communicationbarriersfacedbypharmacistswhenmanagingpatientswithhypertensioninaprimarycareteamaqualitativestudy AT sweephaikooi communicationbarriersfacedbypharmacistswhenmanagingpatientswithhypertensioninaprimarycareteamaqualitativestudy AT chirkjennng communicationbarriersfacedbypharmacistswhenmanagingpatientswithhypertensioninaprimarycareteamaqualitativestudy |