QUANTIFYING THE QUALITY OF SERVICES IN COMMUNITY PHARMACIES IN ROMANIA – DESIGNING AND APPLYING A QUESTIONNAIRE AMONG PHARMACEUTICAL STAFF

Abstract

The self-reporting activities in community pharmacies through questionnaires are not a current practice in our country, but it represents a useful tool for improving the quality of pharmaceutical services. The study aimed to assess the quality of services provided by community pharmacies through a self-designed questionnaire, validated and applied to the pharmaceutical staff. 364 pharmacists and pharmacy assistants, from community pharmacies in Romania voluntarily answered the anonymous online questionnaire, between February and May 2023. The 47-item questionnaire included six dimensions corresponding to the main activities and quality indicators. Statistical analysis was done in SPSS 27.0. Respondents' answers indicated the performance of daily professional activities with some statistical differences depending on the characteristics of the participants (p ≤ 0.05). The rigorous implementation of the rules of good pharmacy practice reveals the quality of services provided by community pharmacies and the role of pharmaceutical staff in ensuring the health of the population.