Comparison of Prescribing and Dispensing Processes Between
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McDowell A, Assink L, Musgrave R, Soper H, Chantal C, Norris P. Comparison of prescribing and dispensing processes between veterinarians and pharmacists in New Zealand: Are there opportunities for cooperation? Pharmacy Practice (Internet) 2011 Jan-Mar;9(1):23-30. Original Research Comparison of prescribing and dispensing processes between veterinarians and pharmacists in New Zealand: Are there opportunities for cooperation? Arlene McDOWELL, Lauren ASSINK, Rebecca MUSGRAVE, Hannah SOPER, Chantal WILLIAMS, Pauline NORRIS. Received (first version): 24-Aug-2010 Accepted: 29-Dec-2010 ABSTRACT* Keywords: Pharmacists. Veterinarians. Background: Prescribing and dispensing of Interprofessional Relations. New Zealand. medicines are fundamental processes in providing healthcare for both human and animal patients. COMPARACIÓN DE LOS PROCESOS DE There has been recent discussion in the literature to PRESCRIPCIÓN Y DISPENSACIÓN ENTRE advocate for increased co-operation between VETERINARIOS Y FARMACÉUTICOS EN pharmacists and veterinarians, however there is NUEVA ZELANDA: HAY OPORTUNIDADES little data available about veterinary prescribing and DE COOPERACIÓN? dispensing processes. Objective: The aims of this study were to gain information on veterinary prescribing and RESUMEN dispensing processes for companion animals in the Antecedentes: La prescripción y la dispensación de Dunedin region of New Zealand. medicamentos son procesos fundamentales en la Methods: Open interviews were conducted with a provisión de cuidados de salud tanto para humanos selection of five veterinarians at practices in como para animales. Recientemente se ha discutido Dunedin. All interviews were transcribed verbatim. en la literatura para abogar por el aumento de Results: In New Zealand almost all dispensing of cooperación entre farmacéuticos y veterinarios, sin medicines for animals is carried out by veterinarians embargo hay pocos datos disponibles sobre los or their staff. There is a lack of standard treatment procesos de la prescripción y la dispensación guidelines and a lack of regulation around the veterinaria. treatment period for which medicines can be Objetivo: Los objetivos de este estudio fueron dispensed at one time (i.e. period of supply). obtener información sobre los procesos de Medicines for animals are sometimes dispensed by prescripción y dispensación veterinaria en animales community pharmacies, where clients are de compañía en la región de Dunedin en Nueva experiencing financial difficulties or when particular Zelanda. medicines are not held by veterinary practices. Métodos: Se realizaron entrevistas abiertas a una Record keeping requirements and practices for selección de cinco veterinarios en clínicas de veterinarians are similar to those for community Dunedin. Todas las entrevistas se transcribieron pharmacies. literalmente. Conclusions: Processes undertaken by Resultados: En Nueva Zelanda, casi todas las veterinarians in terms of prescribing and dispensing dispensaciones de medicamentos para animales son were similar to pharmacists’ practices for human realizadas por veterinarios o su personal. Hay una patients and so there is opportunity for collaboration falta de guías de tratamientos estandarizados y de between the two professions. Pharmacists also legislación sobre el periodo de tratamiento que have complementary knowledge about dosing and puede ser dispensado cada vez (i.e. periodo de formulating medicines that can assist in delivering provisión). Los medicamentos para animales a optimal healthcare to animal patients. veces se dispensan en farmacias comunitarias, cuando los clientes sufren dificultades financieras o cuando las clínicas veterinarias carecen de ellos. Los requisitos de registro y las prácticas de los veterinarios son similares a los de las farmacias * comunitarias. Arlene McDOWELL. PhD. Senior Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Science. University of Otago. Dunedin Conclusiones: Los procesos realizados por (New Zealand). veterinarios para la prescripción y dispensación Lauren ASSINK. BPharm. School of Pharmacy, University fueron similares a las prácticas para pacientes of Otago. Dunedin (New Zealand). humanos, así que hay una oportunidad de Rebecca MUSGRAVE. BPharm. School of Pharmacy, colaboración entre las dos profesiones. Los University of Otago. Dunedin (New Zealand). farmacéuticos pueden tener conocimientos Hannah SOPER. BPharm. School of Pharmacy, complementarios sobre dosificación y formulación University of Otago. Dunedin (New Zealand). de los medicamentos que pueden ser de ayuda para Chantal WILLIAMS. BPharm. School of Pharmacy, University of Otago. Dunedin (New Zealand). proporcionar los cuidados de salud óptimos para los Pauline NORRIS. PhD. Professor of Social Pharmacy. pacientes animales. University of Otago. Dunedin (New Zealand). www.pharmacypractice.org (ISSN: 1886-3655) 23 McDowell A, Assink L, Musgrave R, Soper H, Chantal C, Norris P. Comparison of prescribing and dispensing processes between veterinarians and pharmacists in New Zealand: Are there opportunities for cooperation? Pharmacy Practice (Internet) 2011 Jan-Mar;9(1):23-30. Palabras clave: Farmacéuticos. Veterinarios. animal patients.4 The delivery of more cost-effective Relaciones interprofesionales. Nueva Zelanda. medicines may also be possible if animal products are dispensed through a pharmacy. On the basis of reducing costs, a government report compiled for the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in INTRODUCTION the United Kingdom recommended that Veterinarians are specialists in the health and well veterinarians should use pharmacies to dispense 5 being of animals. The role of the veterinarian is both prescriptions. The present study aimed to explore broad and diverse, encompassing the treatment of the veterinarians’ practices with regard to the sick and injured animals and surgical services. In prescribing and dispensing of veterinary medicines addition to this, veterinarians are also involved in and investigate whether pharmacists could become numerous other aspects of animal care such as the involved in these processes. Previous studies have prevention of animal ailments by administering looked at prescribing patterns of different drug immunizations, de-sexing of animals and animal classes, in particular antimicrobials for production 6 lifestyle advice. Veterinary practices can also impact animals , however no published studies have the wider community through biosecurity and in the explored the potential link between veterinary area of public health through involvement in prescribing and dispensing practices and the zoonotic disease control. In New Zealand, by law involvement of pharmacists. (Veterinarians Act 2005) a veterinarian is a person who is registered with the Veterinarian Council of METHODS New Zealand and holds a current practicing certificate. Eligibility for registration requires the Data was collected through focused discussions individual to have a recognized veterinary science with either the veterinarian or veterinary nurse from degree or diploma from a recognized institution or the Dunedin region of New Zealand. Veterinarians pass a prescribed examination or assessment; meet were approached from seven urban practices and minimum fitness practice requirements and ability to invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. communicate in English. Within the veterinary Of the practices contacted, five practices indicated profession, there is a division between the treatment willingness to participate in this study. The study of food production animals and companion focused on veterinary requirements for domestic animals.1 The two areas of veterinary practice animals and all herd animal data was excluded from overlap to some degree, yet also differ in the this study. number and type of animals being treated, and the Interviews took around 15-20 minutes and focused involvement within society, particularly public health. on five main topics and all participants were asked The present study will focus on practices applicable the same questions by one of two pairs of to companion animals. interviewers. The questions were around the Pharmacists are health professionals that are highly themes of veterinary records, general treatment, regarded as the custodians of medicines within both prescriptions, antibiotics and drug supply, with a community and clinical setting. Traditionally specific questions directed to allow comparisons to pharmacists primarily distributed drugs that were be made with the pharmacy profession (Table 1). prescribed by a medical practitioner for human The discussion utilized an open questioning patients. Now the role of the pharmacist has technique. Participants were encouraged to become much more diverse. This diversification participate actively in open discussion but could now sees pharmacists involved in a more expansive decline to answer any questions. Extensive notes range of responsibilities with respect to patient care; were taken during all interviews and for each from providing information on the selection, dosage, interview both a moderator and note-taker were interactions and side effects of medications through present. to provision of on-going monitoring of patients and Data Analysis the suitability of their medication regime. Analysis began with all notes being read to get a Veterinarians and pharmacists share a desire to general impression of all the collected material. The achieve the maximal health outcome for their data from the individual veterinary practices was respective patients.