TY - JOUR
T1 - Reflections on the role of the pharmacy regulatory authority in enhancing quality related event reporting in community pharmacies
AU - Boyle, Todd A.
AU - Bishop, Andrea C.
AU - Mahaffey, Thomas
AU - MacKinnon, Neil J.
AU - Ashcroft, Darren M.
AU - Zwicker, Bev
AU - Reid, Carolyn
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this research was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Partnerships for Health System Improvement research grant program (Funding Reference Number 238616).
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - Background: Given the demanding nature of providing pharmacy services, coupled with the expanded scope of practice of the professions in jurisdictions around the world, greater commitment to continuous quality improvement through adoption of quality-related event (QRE) reporting is necessary to ensure patient safety. Pharmacy regulatory authorities (PRAs) are in a unique position to enhance QRE reporting and learning through the standardization of expected practice. Objective: This study was aimed to gain a better understanding of the perceived roles of PRAs in enhancing QRE reporting and learning in community pharmacies, and identifying regulatory best practices to execute such roles. Methods: A purposive case sampling approach was used to identify PRA staff members from two groups (Deputy registrars and pharmacy inspectors) in 10 Canadian jurisdictions to participate in focus groups in the fall of 2011. Focus groups were used to explore perceptions of the role of PRAs in enhancing and promoting QRE reporting and learning, and perceived barriers to effective implementation in practice. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Results: Two focus groups were conducted, one with seven Deputy registrars/Practice managers, and one with nine pharmacy inspectors. Five themes were identified, including (1) defining QRE reporting and compliance, (2) navigating role conflict, (3) educating for enhanced QRE reporting and learning, (4) promoting the positive/removing the fear of QREs, and (5) tailoring QRE reporting and learning consistency. Conclusions: Overall, participants perceived a strong role for PRAs in enhancing QRE reporting and learning and providing education for pharmacies to support their compliance with reporting standards. However, PRAs must navigate the conflict inherent in both educating and promoting a process for achieving a standard while simultaneously inspecting compliance to that standard. Ensuring pharmacies have autonomy in operationalizing standards may help to mitigate this conflict. Finally, greater education for PRAs themselves to better inspect compliance and in order to better communicate the benefits of QRE reporting and learning to pharmacies would be beneficial.
AB - Background: Given the demanding nature of providing pharmacy services, coupled with the expanded scope of practice of the professions in jurisdictions around the world, greater commitment to continuous quality improvement through adoption of quality-related event (QRE) reporting is necessary to ensure patient safety. Pharmacy regulatory authorities (PRAs) are in a unique position to enhance QRE reporting and learning through the standardization of expected practice. Objective: This study was aimed to gain a better understanding of the perceived roles of PRAs in enhancing QRE reporting and learning in community pharmacies, and identifying regulatory best practices to execute such roles. Methods: A purposive case sampling approach was used to identify PRA staff members from two groups (Deputy registrars and pharmacy inspectors) in 10 Canadian jurisdictions to participate in focus groups in the fall of 2011. Focus groups were used to explore perceptions of the role of PRAs in enhancing and promoting QRE reporting and learning, and perceived barriers to effective implementation in practice. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Results: Two focus groups were conducted, one with seven Deputy registrars/Practice managers, and one with nine pharmacy inspectors. Five themes were identified, including (1) defining QRE reporting and compliance, (2) navigating role conflict, (3) educating for enhanced QRE reporting and learning, (4) promoting the positive/removing the fear of QREs, and (5) tailoring QRE reporting and learning consistency. Conclusions: Overall, participants perceived a strong role for PRAs in enhancing QRE reporting and learning and providing education for pharmacies to support their compliance with reporting standards. However, PRAs must navigate the conflict inherent in both educating and promoting a process for achieving a standard while simultaneously inspecting compliance to that standard. Ensuring pharmacies have autonomy in operationalizing standards may help to mitigate this conflict. Finally, greater education for PRAs themselves to better inspect compliance and in order to better communicate the benefits of QRE reporting and learning to pharmacies would be beneficial.
KW - Pharmacy administration
KW - Qualitative research
KW - Quality assurance
KW - Quality related events
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84896733369&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84896733369&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.06.002
DO - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.06.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 23830506
AN - SCOPUS:84896733369
SN - 1551-7411
VL - 10
SP - 387
EP - 397
JO - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
JF - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
IS - 2
ER -