A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory
Objectives: While healthcare systems struggle to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacies have changed the way in which they serve society by ensuring the availability of primary-level medical care. This study aims to examine the rearrangement of service provision at community pharmacies t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Public Health in Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535221001373 |
| _version_ | 1819095658471096320 |
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| author | Kadi Lubi Kristiina Sepp Hedvig Rass Kristiine Roostar Daisy Volmer |
| author_facet | Kadi Lubi Kristiina Sepp Hedvig Rass Kristiine Roostar Daisy Volmer |
| author_sort | Kadi Lubi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: While healthcare systems struggle to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacies have changed the way in which they serve society by ensuring the availability of primary-level medical care. This study aims to examine the rearrangement of service provision at community pharmacies through the prism of social practice theory. Study design: Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews. Methods: In total, 21 community pharmacists, 3 hospital pharmacists and 10 experts in Estonia were interviewed. For data analysis, two-dimensional thematic textual analysis was performed according to four types of practices proposed in social practice theory and based on temporal distinction. Results: The findings of this study reveal that, in order to maintain and improve community pharmacy service provision during the pandemic, there have been changes to all aspects of practice elements, including practical understandings, rules and teleological structures. The majority of challenges were experienced because of necessary changes to the habitual ways of providing pharmacy services, indicating resistance to these changes and reinforcing the need to continue existing ‘practice-bundles’. Limited access to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in community pharmacists becoming the primary (and only) accessible healthcare contact; thus, leading to a shift in awareness about the role of pharmacists. Conclusions: Although large-scale changes may result in the dissolvement of practice-bundles and require readiness to adjust current methods of service provision, dissolution is a gradual process. There is an urgent need to support pharmacists in managing the challenges of rearranging service provision, such as immediate organisational changes, lack of information and changing resources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:46:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b391ca860d74472b07c22653eed4f90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-5352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:46:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health in Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b391ca860d74472b07c22653eed4f902022-12-21T18:46:04ZengElsevierPublic Health in Practice2666-53522021-11-012100212A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theoryKadi Lubi0Kristiina Sepp1Hedvig Rass2Kristiine Roostar3Daisy Volmer4Department of Health Technologies, School on Information Technologies, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia Tee 15a, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia; Health Education Center, Tallinn Health Care College, Kännu 67, 13418, Tallinn, Estonia; Corresponding author. Department of Health Technologies, School on Information Technologies, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15a, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, EstoniaObjectives: While healthcare systems struggle to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacies have changed the way in which they serve society by ensuring the availability of primary-level medical care. This study aims to examine the rearrangement of service provision at community pharmacies through the prism of social practice theory. Study design: Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews. Methods: In total, 21 community pharmacists, 3 hospital pharmacists and 10 experts in Estonia were interviewed. For data analysis, two-dimensional thematic textual analysis was performed according to four types of practices proposed in social practice theory and based on temporal distinction. Results: The findings of this study reveal that, in order to maintain and improve community pharmacy service provision during the pandemic, there have been changes to all aspects of practice elements, including practical understandings, rules and teleological structures. The majority of challenges were experienced because of necessary changes to the habitual ways of providing pharmacy services, indicating resistance to these changes and reinforcing the need to continue existing ‘practice-bundles’. Limited access to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in community pharmacists becoming the primary (and only) accessible healthcare contact; thus, leading to a shift in awareness about the role of pharmacists. Conclusions: Although large-scale changes may result in the dissolvement of practice-bundles and require readiness to adjust current methods of service provision, dissolution is a gradual process. There is an urgent need to support pharmacists in managing the challenges of rearranging service provision, such as immediate organisational changes, lack of information and changing resources.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535221001373COVID-19 pandemicEmergency situationCommunity pharmacy serviceSocial practice theory |
| spellingShingle | Kadi Lubi Kristiina Sepp Hedvig Rass Kristiine Roostar Daisy Volmer A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory Public Health in Practice COVID-19 pandemic Emergency situation Community pharmacy service Social practice theory |
| title | A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory |
| title_full | A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory |
| title_fullStr | A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory |
| title_short | A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory |
| title_sort | qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the covid 19 public health emergency the prism of social practice theory |
| topic | COVID-19 pandemic Emergency situation Community pharmacy service Social practice theory |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535221001373 |
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