Quality of pharmaceutical care at the pharmacy counter: patients’ experiences versus video observation

Figures & data

Table 1 Questionnaire and video observation items to assess the quality of pharmaceutical care

Domain	Questionnaire item	Observation item
Information provision	Did the pharmacy staff member explain the mechanism of action of the new medicine(s)?	Did the pharmacy staff member explain the mechanism of action of the new medicine(s)?
	Did the pharmacy staff member explain how to use your new medicine(s)?	Did the pharmacy staff member explain how to use the new medicine(s)?
	Did the pharmacy staff member ask if you had any (other) questions?	Did the pharmacy staff member ask if the patient had any questions?
Medication counseling	Did the pharmacy staff member ask about your experiences with the medicines?	Did the pharmacy staff member address patients’ experiences with medicine(s)?
	Did the pharmacy staff member discuss with you whether the medicines have the desired effects?	Did the pharmacy staff member discuss with patients whether the medicines have desired effect(s) of medicine(s)?
	Did the pharmacy staff member ask whether you are able to use the medicines as prescribed?	Did the pharmacy staff member ask whether patients were able to use the medicine(s) as prescribed?
	Did the pharmacy staff member ask you about experienced side effects of the medicines?	Did the pharmacy staff member ask patients about the side effect(s) of medicine(s) experienced by them?
Pharmacy staff’s communication style	Were you taken seriously by the pharmacy staff member?	Did the pharmacy staff member approach the patient as his equal?
		Did the pharmacy staff member respond respectfully to different or wrong patient perception?
		Did the pharmacy staff member respond respectfully to different or undesired patient decision?
	Did the pharmacy staff member have enough time for you?	Did the pharmacy staff speak calmly, not in a hurry?
		Did the pharmacy staff member not interrupt the patient?
		Was there room for a patient reaction?
	Did the pharmacy staff member listen attentively?	Did the pharmacy staff member ask questions when necessary?
		Did the pharmacy staff member react to patient response?

Table 2 Study participant characteristics (N=109)

Characteristic	% (n)
Female sex	62.4 (68)
Age (years)
18–24	4.6 (5)
25–34	4.6 (5)
35–44	11.1 (12)
45–54	13.0 (14)
55–64	32.4 (35)
65–74	24.1 (26)
≥75	10.2 (11)
Native ethnicity*	90.6 (96)
Educational level**
None	1.0 (1)
Low	14.3 (15)
Medium	56.9 (62)
High	25.7 (27)

Notes:

* Both parents born in the Netherlands.

** None = no formal education, low = lower vocational, medium = intermediate vocational, intermediate/higher secondary, high = higher vocational/university.

Table 3 Information provision in the pharmacy: questionnaire items compared with observations

		O: Provides information on mechanism of action (N=24)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member explain the mechanism of action of new medicines?*		Yes	No
	Yes	6	8
	No	0	10
% overall agreement			66.7
		O: Explains how to use the medicine (N=25)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member explain how to use new medicines?*		Yes	No
	Yes	15	2
	No	4	4
% overall agreement			76.0
		O: Checks for questions (N=105)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member ask whether you had any questions?		Yes	No
	Yes	1	58
	No	0	46
% overall agreement			44.8

Note:

* The first two items were only scored for patients who filled new medicines.

Abbreviations: Q, question; O, video observation.

Table 4 Medication counseling in the pharmacy: questionnaire items compared with observations

		O: Conversation about experiences with medicine (N=66)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member ask about your experiences with the medicines?		Yes	No
	Yes	2	2
	No	1	61
% overall agreement			95.5
		O: Conversation about desired effects (N=65)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member discuss with you whether the medicines have the desired effects?		Yes	No
	Yes	0	0
	No	1	64
% overall agreement			98.5
		O: Conversation about being able to use (N=65)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member ask you whether you are able to use the medicines as prescribed?		Yes	No
	Yes	0	2
	No	0	63
% overall agreement			96.9
		O: Conversation about adverse effects (N=65)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member ask you about the side effects of the medicines experienced by you?		Yes	No
	Yes	0	0
	No	1	64
% overall agreement			98.5

Note: The medication counseling items were only scored for patients who filled repeat medicines.

Abbreviations: Q, question; O, video observation.

Table 5 Pharmacy staff’s communication style: questionnaire items compared with video observations

		O: Approaches patient as his equal (N=109)		O: Responds respectfully to different or wrong patient perception (N=0)		O: Responds respectfully to different or undesired patient decision (N=0)
Q: Were you taken seriously by the pharmacy staff member?		Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Yes	107	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
	No	1	0	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
% overall agreement			98.2		–		–
		O: Speaks calmly, not in a hurry (N=109)		O: Does not interrupt the patient (N=109)		O: Room for patient reaction (N=109)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff member have enough time for you?		Yes No		Yes No		Yes	No
	Yes	103	3	106	0	104	2
	No	3	0	3	0	3	0
% overall agreement			94.5		97.2		95.4
		O: Asks questions, explores patients’ needs/concerns (N=14)		O: Reacts to patient response (N=107)
Q: Did the pharmacy staff memberlisten attentively?		Yes	No	Yes	No
	Yes	13	1	106	0
	No	0	0	1	0
% overall agreement			92.9		99.1

Abbreviations: n/a, not applicable; Q, question; O, video observation.