A call to strengthen medication therapy management training in the Kenyan pharmacy undergraduate curriculum: Feedback from a snapshot of the knowledge and practices among pharmacists in diverse disciplines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2024.241.1321Keywords:
Clinical Pharmacy, Kenya, Medication therapy management, Patient-centered care, Pharmacy care, Pharmacy curriculumAbstract
Background: The role of the pharmacist has continued to evolve, placing the profession at the fulcrum of holistic patient care, including offering medication therapy management (MTM), a critical component of any effective pharmaceutical care plan.
Objective: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Kenyan pharmacists regarding MTM.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed whereby Google Form questionnaires were distributed among pharmacists working at hospitals and community pharmacies between 1st October 2022 and 30th November 2022.
Results: Slightly over half (62, 52.5%) of the pharmacists rated themselves as knowledgeable about MTM, with most participants (55, 46.6%) stating that the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum was insufficient to prepare one to offer MTM services competently. Notably, online courses and workshops were the most popular channels (72%) for accessing MTM-related continuous professional development among the respondents.
Conclusion: This study revealed some gaps in the knowledge and competence of undergraduate-level Kenyan pharmacists in their quest to offer MTM services. Therefore, embedding MTM in the undergraduate curriculum can bridge this gap and empower Kenyan pharmacists to provide holistic pharmaceutical care.
References
Akonoghrere, R., Aghoja, O., Adje, D., Ogbonna, B., Oparah, A., & Nwachukwu, A. (2020). Knowledge, attitude and practice of medication therapy management among hospital pharmacists in Delta State, Nigeria. Acta Scientific Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4(8), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.31080/ASPS.2020.04.0574
Alshehri, A. M., Alenazi, O. S., Almutairi, S. A., Alali, A. Z., Almogbel, Y. S., Alonazi, R. E., Alkhelaifi, H. A., Alshehri, W. M., & Alsehli, F. A. (2022). Pharmacist intention to provide medication therapy management services in Saudi Arabia: A study using the theory of planned behaviour. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5279. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095279
Al-Tameemi, N. K., & Sarriff, A. (2019). Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacists on medication therapy management: A survey in Hospital Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia. Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences, 5(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-019-0131-9
Aywak, D., Jaguga, C. D. P., Nkonge, N. G., Kinuthia, R., Ambale, C., & Awle, I. A. (2017). Pharmacy practice in Kenya. The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 70(6), 456–462. https://doi.org/10.4212/cjhp.v70i6.1713
Baraki, Z., Abay, M., Tsegay, L., Gerensea, H., Kebede, A., & Teklay, H. (2018). Medication administration error and contributing factors among pediatric inpatients in public hospitals of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. BMC Pediatrics, 18(1), 321. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-018-1294-5
Charan, J., & Biswas, T. (2013). How to calculate sample size for different study designs in medical research? Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 121–126. https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.116232
Dhatt, H., Vaffis, S., Le, D., Axon, D. R., Campbell, P. J., Black, H., Kolobova, I., Nelson, M. L., & Warholak, T. (2023). Qualitative analysis of telephonic comprehensive medication review content and delivery. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 63(2), 555–565. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36481091/
Dorsey, B. F., Kamimura, A., Cook, L. J., Kadish, H. A., Cook, H. K., Kang, A., Nguyen, J. B. T., & Holsti, M. (2022). Communication gaps between providers and caregivers of patients in a pediatric emergency department. Journal of Patient Experience, 9, 23743735221112223. https://doi.org/10.1177/23743735221112223
Ferreri, S. P., Hughes, T. D., & Snyder, M. E. (2020). Medication therapy management: Current challenges. Integrated Pharmacy Research & Practice, 9, 71–81. https://doi.org/10.2147/IPRP.S179628
Hughes, T. D., Cutrell, S., Minshew, L. M., Brown, P., & Ferreri, S. P. (2022). An exploration of barriers, facilitators, and practical solutions for adopting medication synchronization into community pharmacies: A qualitative analysis. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, 5, 100111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcsop.2022.100111
Jarab, A. S., Al-Qerem, W., Mukattash, T. L., Abuhishmah, S. R., & Alkhdour, S. (2022). Pharmacists’ knowledge and attitudes toward medication therapy management service and the associated challenges and barriers to its implementation. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal: SPJ, 30(6), 842–848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2022.03.008
Lasota, S. T., McConaha, J. L., Lynch, K. J., & Greco, A. J. (2015, April 20). Implementation strategy to bring medication therapy management into high-Âvolume community pharmacies. Pharmacy Times, 7(2). https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/implementation-strategy-to-bring--medication-therapy-management-into-highvolume-community-pharmacies
McBane, S. E., Dopp, A. L., Abe, A., Benavides, S., Chester, E. A., Dixon, D. L., Dunn, M., Johnson, M. D., Nigro, S. J., Rothrock-Christian, T., Schwartz, A. H., Thrasher, K., & Walker, S. (2015). Collaborative drug therapy management and comprehensive medication management-2015. Pharmacotherapy, 35(4), e39‒50. https://doi.org/10.1002/phar.1563
Mekonnen, A. B., Alhawassi, T. M., McLachlan, A. J., & Brien, J.-A. E. (2018). Adverse drug events and medication errors in African hospitals: A systematic review. Drugs - Real World Outcomes, 5(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40801-017-0125-6
Meng, Q., Sun, L., Ma, Y., Wei, Y., Ma, X., Yang, L., Xie, Z., Li, F., Wang, Z., Tao, X., Zhen, X., Jin, R., & Gu, H. (2023). The impact of pharmacist practice of medication therapy management in ambulatory care: An experience from a comprehensive Chinese hospital. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 176. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09164-6
Mulyanga, S., Kwacha, B., Choge, I., Mwalimu, R., Whitmarsh, S., & Njiri, S.A. (2021). Kenya includes injections in pharmacist training. Knowledge SUCCESS. https://knowledgesuccess.org/2021/11/23/kenya-includes-contraceptive-injections-in-its-pharmacist-training-package/
Rendrayani, F., Alfian, S. D., Wahyudin, W., & Puspitasari, I. M. (2023). Knowledge, attitude, and practice of medication therapy management: A national survey among pharmacists in Indonesia. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1213520. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1213520
Shah, B., & Chawla, S. (2011). A needs assessment for the development and provision of medication therapy management services in New York City. Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 24(3), 339–344. https://doi.org/10.1177/0897190010396584