Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon.
Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Corvallis, Oregon.
Pain Med. 2018 Sep 1;19(9):1799-1806. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnx139.
The pharmacist's role and responsibilities in addressing the opioid epidemic have yet to be clearly defined, particularly from the patient's point of view. This qualitative study explores the pharmacist's role in promoting opioid safety from the perspective of pharmacists and patients.
Focus groups.
Patient groups were held in person, and pharmacist groups were held online.
Oregon pharmacists (N = 19, Mage = 39.0 years, range = 26-57 years, 58% female) and patients (N = 18, Mage = 60.1 years, range = 30-77 years, 71% female) with current experience dispensing or receiving opioid medications.
Pharmacists were asked about the challenges and opportunities for opioid safety monitoring and prescription dispensing. Patients were asked about their experiences accessing care, medications, and safety information. Focus group data were analyzed by a multidisciplinary team using an immersion-crystallization approach.
Pharmacists and patients agreed that pharmacists are responsible for medication safety. Pharmacists expressed discomfort filling potentially high-risk opioid prescriptions and noted barriers such as lack of clinical information and discomfort policing high-risk prescribing. Patients were concerned about pharmacists potentially overstepping their professional responsibilities by interfering with prescribers' clinical decisions.
Feedback from both pharmacists and patient participants suggests that there is uncertainty in the degree to which pharmacists can and should confront the prescription opioid epidemic directly. Ambiguities in the pharmacist's role may be best clarified through structured training promoting enhanced between-party communication.
药剂师在解决阿片类药物泛滥问题中的角色和责任尚未明确，尤其是从患者的角度来看。本定性研究从药剂师和患者的角度探讨了药剂师在促进阿片类药物安全方面的作用。
焦点小组。
患者小组以面对面的方式进行，药剂师小组则通过网络进行。
俄勒冈州药剂师（N=19，平均年龄 39.0 岁，范围 26-57 岁，58%为女性）和有当前开具或接受阿片类药物经验的患者（N=18，平均年龄 60.1 岁，范围 30-77 岁，71%为女性）。
药剂师被问及监测阿片类药物安全和处方配药的挑战和机遇。患者被问及他们获取护理、药物和安全信息的经历。多学科团队使用沉浸式结晶方法对焦点小组数据进行分析。
药剂师和患者都认为药剂师有责任确保用药安全。药剂师表示在开具潜在高风险阿片类药物处方时感到不适，并指出缺乏临床信息和对高风险处方进行监督时感到不适等障碍。患者担心药剂师可能会通过干涉医生的临床决策来过度行使其专业职责。
来自药剂师和患者参与者的反馈表明，药剂师在多大程度上可以并且应该直接应对处方类阿片药物泛滥问题存在不确定性。通过促进增强各方之间的沟通的结构化培训，可以更好地阐明药剂师角色的模糊性。
