Interprofessional Collaboration and Team Effectiveness of Pharmacists in General Practice: A Cross-National Survey

Thilini Sudeshika (), Mark Naunton, Gregory M. Peterson, Louise S. Deeks, Line Guénette, Ravi Sharma, Christopher Freeman, Theo Niyonsenga and Sam Kosari
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Thilini Sudeshika: Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Mark Naunton: Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Gregory M. Peterson: Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Louise S. Deeks: Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Line Guénette: Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, Quebec, QC GIV 0A6, Canada
Ravi Sharma: Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Christopher Freeman: School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
Theo Niyonsenga: Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia
Sam Kosari: Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: As team-based care continues to evolve, pharmacists have been included in general practice teams in many countries, to varying extents, to improve medication use and patient safety. However, evidence on interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of pharmacists in general practice is sparse. This study aimed to compare the extent of interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of general practice pharmacists in Australia with international sites (Canada and the UK), and identify the factors associated with interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness. General practice pharmacists from Australia, Canada, and the UK were identified through professional organisations and networks, and invited to participate in an online survey, adapted from existing validated tools. The survey explored interprofessional collaboration through four sub-domains (professional interactions, relationship initiation, trust and role clarity, and commitment to collaboration) and team effectiveness of general practice pharmacists. Of the 101 respondents (26 from Australia, 44 from Canada and 31 from the UK), 79% were female and 78% were aged below 50 years. Interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness appeared to be high and similar between countries. Total scores for collaboration of pharmacists were 86.1 ± 7.4 in Australia, 88.5 ± 7.5 in the UK, and 89.1 ± 7.3 in Canada (mean ± SD, where higher scores represent more advanced collaboration), while the team effectiveness scores of the pharmacists were 88.6 ± 14.6 in Canada, 91.8 ± 14.6 in Australia and 97.5 ± 14.0 in the UK. Pharmacists who had worked in general practice for a longer time showed advanced interprofessional collaboration while those who worked exclusively in general practice had higher scores for team effectiveness. Overall, general practice pharmacists in the three countries were highly collaborative with general practitioners. Long-term employment and longer work hours could enhance interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness in general practice pharmacists by improving trust and working relationships over time.

Keywords: interprofessional collaboration; pharmacist; team effectiveness; general practice; cross-national survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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