Role of Pharmacists in Clinical Pharmacy Services in Saudi Arabia: A Survey of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice

Abstract

Clinical pharmacy services significantly impact patient care and rapidly progress in the Saudi healthcare system. This study aimed to assess hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding clinical pharmacy services using a cross-sectional study design at seven government hospitals in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. In total, 236 hospital pharmacists were present in the Qassim region, where 176 reported providing clinical pharmacy services invited to participate. Out of 176 distributed questionnaires, 174 returned, giving a response rate of 98.86%. The number of clinical pharmacists in Qassim hospitals was only 5 (5.7%). The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 8.72±3.0, 29.39±4.1, and 16.3±3.1, respectively. Most pharmacists had a low level of knowledge about clinical pharmacy services 46 (52.3%). Knowledge scores were significantly associated with the highest academic qualification (p=0.02). Most pharmacists agreed that clinical pharmacists can provide 84 (95.5%) drug information and monitor patient response to drug therapy 82 (93.2%). Attitude scores were significantly associated with age (p=0.001). Practice scores were significantly associated with age (p=0.001) and nationality (p=0.001). Most services provided in hospitals were patient counseling 82 (93.2%). The most common barriers identified were lack of staff, training, and time. Recognizing the importance of clinical pharmacy services and the role of clinical pharmacists in healthcare settings is an essential step toward improving patient safety. Therefore, pharmacists need proper training in clinical pharmacy services to gain confidence. Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, pharmacists, clinical pharmacy services, Saudi Arabia. https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.50.9.4