Factors Influencing the Implementation of a New Pharmacist Prescribing Service in Community Pharmacies

Abstract

The pharmacist prescribing service was legally permitted in 2019 in Switzerland to face challenges in the health system; however, there has been a lack of implementation. The aims of this study were to identify implementation factors and to evaluate pharmacy association interventions that aim to support implementation. A qualitative study with two methods was carried out: (1) twelve semi-structured interviews with community pharmacists were recorded, transcribed, and a thematic analysis was carried out using the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research (CFIR); (2) questionnaires were submitted to the six pharmacy associations of French-speaking Switzerland. The main barriers found were non-reimbursement by health insurance companies, medications’ lack of clinical relevance, a negative perception of GPs, and a lack of time. The main facilitators were the availability of service information, pharmacies belonging to chains/groups, a reduction in the medical consultation burden, and the accessibility of pharmacies. Five associations answered, revealing different initiatives supporting implementation, but none of them had strategies at the political level nor communication strategies aimed at patients or GPs. Based on the CFIR, the most frequent implementation factors were highlighted, and this classification facilitates the transposition of the results to other contexts. The results will allow the development of targeted strategies and add the role of the pharmacy associations, which should be considered in future studies.