A Qualitative Approach to Exploring Workflow and Cost Factors of Dispensing Services in Community Pharmacies in Taiwan

Yen-Ming Huang; Yao-Hsing Wang; Hsun-Yu Chan; Yunn-Fang Ho

doi:10.2147/JMDH.S432828

A Qualitative Approach to Exploring Workflow and Cost Factors of Dispensing Services in Community Pharmacies in Taiwan

J Multidiscip Healthc. 2023 Oct 27:16:3179-3188. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S432828. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yen-Ming Huang^{1

2

3}, Yao-Hsing Wang^{1

4}, Hsun-Yu Chan⁵, Yunn-Fang Ho^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Graduate Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100025, Taiwan.
² School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100025, Taiwan.
³ Department of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100229, Taiwan.
⁴ Honest Pharmacy, Taichung, 408483, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Industrial Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, 106308, Taiwan.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to thoroughly document the process and cost factors involved in dispensing services within a community pharmacy.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, this study incorporated a pragmatic and descriptive qualitative approach to outline pharmacists' viewpoints on providing dispensing services in community settings. A purposive sampling was employed to recruit pharmacists from geographically different community pharmacies, spanning from March to July 2022. Semi-structured interviews with direct content analysis were conducted through face-to-face interactions to gather firsthand insights into pharmacists' professional dispensing services. The data underwent analysis through descriptive and in vivo coding techniques to categorize, define, and label themes, thereby identifying key steps and cost components in the prescription dispensing process. The qualitative data management software, MAXQDA 2020, was utilized for data management and maintenance.

Results: Ten community pharmacists participated in the study, cooperatively completing the interview process. Of these, 7 were male and 3 were female, with age ranging from 29 to 62 years. The average length of pharmacy practice experience was 11.4 years. The study revealed six integral steps in the dispensing process: (1) receiving and clarifying legality and completeness of prescriptions, (2) profiling and verifying patient prescriptions, (3) preparing prescription labels and containers, (4) dispensing right medications with right quantity, (5) inspecting dispensing accuracy, (6) handing over medications and providing counseling. Along with these processes, pharmacists emphasized that pharmacy manpower, representing a substantial portion of the associated costs, determines the success and quality of the dispensing service. Additionally, rental, utilities, consumables, and physical equipment were identified as other important cost factors associated with carrying out pharmacy dispensing services.

Conclusion: The study offers a comprehensive understanding of the dispensing service workflow within community pharmacies. The findings may inform key stakeholders and policymakers about required resources for enhancing and sustaining quality dispensing services for the public in Taiwan.

Keywords: community pharmacy; dispensing service; pharmacist; prescription; refill.

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Executive Yuan, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. (MOST 110-2320-B-002-079-MY3 and MOST 110-2410-H-003-136-MY3). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the MOST. The MOST had no role in designing and conducting the study; collecting, managing, analyzing, and interpreting the data; preparing, reviewing, or approving the manuscript; nor making the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.