| Abstract [eng] |
The Master's Thesis analyzes the barriers to the introduction of new pharmaceutical care services in pharmacies. Pharmaceutical care services include problem identification, the purpose of treatment in collaboration with the physician, the development of an individual disease management plan, individual counseling by a pharmacist, and follow-up between visits to the physician to ensure patient health, care, and medication control. In the field of patient-centered services, the gradual emergence of new services is expanding the role of pharmacists as primary care professionals. It is important for pharmacies to introduce new services in order to remain competitive in the pharmaceutical market, to maintain consumer loyalty, to maintain or improve their reputation, to make a profit and to develop their business. The process of introducing new pharmaceutical care services in pharmacies is not always going smoothly. It is important to find out the barriers that prevent the introduction of pharmaceutical care services that have been in existence worldwide for two decades and are lacking in Lithuania. The problem of the Master's Thesis can be described by the question: what are the barriers to the introduction of new pharmaceutical care services in Lithuanian pharmacies. The Master's Thesis analyzes the characteristics and uniqueness of pharmaceutical services, the process of introduction of new pharmaceutical care services and barriers to the successful introduction of new pharmaceutical care services in pharmacies. Pharmaceutical services have the characteristics of a service - they are intangible, inseparable, short-lived, heterogeneous and always take place in the presence of the customer. The uniqueness inherent in pharmaceutical services is provided by the operation of a pharmacy as a natural person and the utilitarian business logic of interacting with the social mission of the pharmaceutical sector in collaboration with other health professionals to achieve universal public health. The introduction of pharmaceutical care services is a multi-level system, each element of which is important for the successful introduction and functioning of this process. The legal and pharmacy environment, the attitude of the pharmacy owners, the attitudes of the patients and the attitude and motivation of the pharmacist providing the services are important. The novelty of pharmaceutical care services affects various aspects, both the complexity of the service introduction process and the quality and resources required. The problems that researchers are widely researching hindering the introduction of pharmaceutical care services include both pharmacies as organizations and systemic aspects. The utilitarian approach of pharmacy owners correlates with the potential barriers to the introduction of a new pharmaceutical service in pharmacy as an organization, as it requires additional resources for space installation, staff, and knowledge. At the same time, collaboration with doctors and nurses, who often do not consider a pharmacist as an equivalent healthcare professional, is very important. Patients' attitudes towards pharmacists as retail providers are also relevant. After quantitative and qualitative analysis of the barriers to the introduction of new pharmaceutical care services, it can be stated that the most significant barriers to the introduction of new pharmaceutical care services in Lithuania are inadequate regulation of pharmacy and pharmaceutical care, pharmacy work environment and lack of human resources. The results of the survey of pharmacists also revealed particularly significant barriers: improper payment, lack of time to consult patients, lack of private consultation areas in the pharmacy, product-oriented pharmacy practice (priority to increase turnover), lack of access to all patient information and reluctance of pharmacy owners introduce new pharmaceutical care services. |
