PHP2: ATTITUDE OF PHYSICIANS TOWARD FORMULARIES AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY PHARMACIST

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated attitude of physicians toward formularies as well as services provided by the pharmacy department in a large independent practice association (IPA). METHODS: Surveys (n = 280) were sent to all practitioners in the IPA. The survey requested information on physician use of and satisfaction with the existing printed formulary quick list, their satisfaction with the pharmacy services, and their attitude towards formularies in general using a five-point strongly agree-strongly disagree scale. We received 90 completed surveys with a response rate of 32%. RESULTS: Majority of respondents were staff physicians (87%). Around 31% indicated pediatrics as their specialization followed by family medicine (17%) and internal medicine (17%). Practitioners who indicated that they had received the formulary quick list (37%) were highly satisfied (3.44 ± 0.84) with it. Practitioners were very satisfied with the performance (4.27 ± 0.79), interaction (4.35 ± 0.81), and services offered (4.21 ± 0.79) by the pharmacies. Their attitude towards pharmacist playing a more active role in patient care was positive (3.54 ± 0.98). However, their attitude towards formularies in general was negative. They agreed that formularies increased the amount of time spent making drug choices (4.01 ± 1.1), limited access to the best medicines for patients (3.63 ± 0.88), resulted in less-effective medicines (3.01 ± 0.99), compromised the quality of drugs prescribed (3.36 ± 0.92), and reduced the opportunities to offer the best medication for patients (3.43 ± 0.82). CONCLUSION: Physicians had negative attitude towards formularies in general. However, they were satisfied with the services offered by pharmacists, and they were positive towards more patient care involvement by the pharmacists. Physicians were also satisfied with the formulary quick list offered by the pharmacy department. A plan was developed to provide practitioners with an interactive, intranet-based reference of medications that would assist in prescribing decisions.