Pharmacists' satisfaction with their involvement in the management of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia

Abdullah Assiri; Mir Javid Iqbal; Jawaher Gramish; Ahmed Assiri; Abdulkarim Meraya; Abdulaziz Alhossan; Moteb Khobrani

doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2020.12.009

Pharmacists' satisfaction with their involvement in the management of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Pharm J. 2021 Jan;29(1):85-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.12.009. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Authors

Abdullah Assiri¹, Mir Javid Iqbal¹, Jawaher Gramish², Ahmed Assiri³, Abdulkarim Meraya⁴, Abdulaziz Alhossan⁵, Moteb Khobrani¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Pharmacy Services, Asir Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency and during this unprecedented situation, health care providers across the globe are at the frontline in the fight against this disease. Countries that have been severely hit by the pandemic are using pharmacists to help triage patients. In order to ensure the continuity of these services, it is of paramount importance that pharmacists be formally involved and engaged in the management of this pandemic. In response to the underlying knowledge deficit, this study was undertaken as the first of its kind in the entirety of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This study is a questionnaire based cross-sectional study that was carried out for a period of five months from March 2020 to July 2020 to assess the role of working pharmacists in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic under different health care settings across Saudi Arabia.

Results: A total of 398 responses were recorded, in which 51.1% of the respondents were not involved in any learning or awareness activities involving health care providers (HCPs) or patients. The majority of respondents (62.9%) were not involved in creating or evaluating therapeutic plans for COVID19 patients, and 55% were not involved in therapeutic mentoring of COVID19 patients. Only a very low percentage of respondents were participating in COVID19-related research within their institution. Only 37% of respondents reported being satisfied with their role and contribution in the management of COVID-19.

Conclusion: The present study reveals that pharmacists are underutilized in the management of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. As such, the findings emphasize the importance of enhancing the role and contribution of pharmacists in patient care management across all hospitals and especially under health care crisis conditions. The establishment of a crisis standard of care guideline for all HCPs, including pharmacists, would help in improving patient overall care under crisis conditions like the present COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pharmacist; Satisfaction; Saudi Arabia; Underutilized.