Open AccessUtilisation of community pharmacists by the general public in Malaysia
Author(s) -
Chua Siew Siang,
Lim Kien Ping,
Lee Hong Gee
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
international journal of pharmacy practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.42
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 2042-7174
pISSN - 0961-7671
DOI - 10.1111/j.2042-7174.2012.00219.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pharmacy , medical prescription , family medicine , pharmacist , community pharmacy , community pharmacist , observational study , public health , clinical pharmacy , primary care , nursing , pathology
Objectives The study was conducted to assess how the general public in the K lang V alley, M alaysia, utilised community pharmacists. Methods This was a prospective observational study which documented interactions between community pharmacists and their customers. A researcher was stationed in 10 participating community pharmacies around the K lang V alley to observe and record all the interactions, using a structured data‐collection form. Keys findings Interactions between 1914 customers and the pharmacists of the 10 community pharmacies were recorded. A total of 2199 requests were made by these customers. The main types of request were for medications by brand name (32.2%), advice on minor health problems (25.9%) and for health supplements (11.7%). Only 65 prescriptions were received by the community pharmacies; that is, fewer than two prescriptions per pharmacy per day. The pharmacists provided counselling for only 54.4% of the requests where a medication or health supplement was dispensed. Counselling by pharmacist was significantly associated with the type of request ( P < 0.001). Conclusions The main reason for the general public to visit a community pharmacy in Malaysia was to purchase a particular medication. Few prescriptions were filled at community pharmacies in Malaysia, indicating the under‐utilisation of community pharmacists as a safety net for prescribed medications in primary care.