A survey of psychiatrists' expectations of clinical pharmacists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES

To measure psychiatrists' experience and their expectations of the role of clinical pharmacists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The psychiatrists' experience and their expectations were collected using a 4-part self-completed questionnaire: (a) demographic information, (b) psychiatrists' current expectations of the roles of pharmacists, (c) psychiatrists' actual experience with pharmacists, and (d) psychiatrists' future expectations of pharmacists' roles. Each part included a set of statements for which respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement using a 5-point Likert scale.

RESULTS

Of the 102 questionnaires delivered to the Department of Psychiatry at 7 hospitals, 77 were returned, representing a response rate of 75%. 59 (77%) psychiatrists expected pharmacists to take personal responsibility for resolving any drug-related problems; 62 (81%) expected them to maintain a complete medication profile, and 58 (75%) expected them to educate patients about the safety and appropriate use of their medication. From their current experience with pharmacists, respondents indicated that pharmacists routinely counsel patients (33, 43%), inform them about the most cost-effective alternative (37, 48%), and discuss with them the therapeutic value of the drugs (37, 48%). 49 (63%) of respondents agreed that in the future, pharmacists should routinely adjust the drug therapy for patients under protocol approved by the physician, and 51 (66%) felt that pharmacists should share legal responsibility for clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Psychiatrists in Riyadh had great expectations of clinical pharmacists to take personal responsibility for resolving drug-related problems they discovered and to assist in designing drug therapy treatment plans. The psychiatrists' current experience with pharmacists did not, in some cases, meet their expectations.