Evaluation of collaborative care for patient medication management between pharmacists and clinicians in healthcare institutions in Ogun state, Nigeria

Background: Physicians and pharmacists play crucial roles in healthcare delivery systems, each leveraging on their expertise. Effective collaboration between these professionals is therefore essential to delivering optimal patient care.

Aim: This study assessed the perception of physicians and pharmacists on health care collaboration practice.

Methods: Using multi-stage sampling procedure, a cross-sectional survey was conducted. The survey involved 272 healthcare professionals (Physicians and pharmacists) from Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (Shagamu), Federal Medical Centre (Abeokuta), and Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro (Abeokuta). Data were obtained using a 77-item questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive and Chi-square statistics using SPSS, version 23 software.

Results: Majority (97.1 %) of the respondents (physicians and pharmacists) endorsed teamwork grounded in solid communication. The respondents (97.1%) expressed willingness to collaborate, with 31.3 % dismissing the notion that collaboration rarely improves patient outcomes. The respondents agreed on the necessity of interprofessional relationships in practice, with 93.8 % advocating for its inclusion in professional programs' curricula. Face-to-face communication was most preferred by the respondents (94.1%) for collaborative practice. Both professional groups identified time constraint as the major barrier to collaborative practice (µ = 3.13). 

Conclusion: Many participants deemed collaboration as imperative and that it relies on solid communication. Face-to-face communication was most preferred in collaborative practice and time constraint was the major barrier to collaboration.