Interprofessional health care teams: attitudes and environmental factors associated with participation by community pharmacists

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether community pharmacists are prepared to assume a more active role as members of the primary health care team. A secondary objective was to develop multi-items scales for future studies involving pharmacists, as well as other health professions. This paper reports on rates of participation by community pharmacists as members of interprofessional health care teams, the extent to which this participation was related to pharmacists' attitudes about their preparedness for this role, their relationship with physicians, and their assessment of potential barriers to interprofessional teamwork within their practice setting. A mail questionnaire was sent to community pharmacists across Canada between February and April, 2004. The overall response rate was 35.2% (470/1337) with the highest response rate in the Prairie Provinces (40.6%) and the lowest in Quebec (24.4%). Pharmacists on teams were more likely to agree their training and skills were sufficient to participate, and to report good relations with physicians. Pharmacists on teams were more likely to agree there was more opportunity to meet and get to know other health disciplines, and to see teamwork as part of their role. They were also more likely to agree physicians wanted their input, and less likely to see other disciplines as being too protective of their professional "turf". Pharmacists on teams did not differ from those not on teams in rating lack of time, bad past experiences with teamwork, financial reimbursement or proximity to other health care workers as barriers to being a member of a community-based primary care team.