Assessment of the hospital pharmacy quality assurance system in selected hospitals in the Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Pharmacy services in hospitals are designed to meet the needs of all patients. This is undoubtedly one of the most complex services provided by hospitals. In government hospitals, including those in Ethiopia, pharmacies mainly serve as drug stores and dispensaries. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to assess and ensure better quality assurance for hospital pharmacy services in Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this article was to assess the current status of the quality assurance of pharmacy services in hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. The data were collected from hospital pharmacy heads using the Kobo Collect mobile application and then exported to the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 for analysis. Descriptive statistics for categorical variables are presented as percentages and frequencies. Results: All (100%) of the studied hospital pharmacies had a qualified pharmacy director and worked in the pharmacy full-time. Only 40% had a drug information center and a functional drug formulary committee. All pharmacies had their own disposal facilities but did not regularly dispose of expired or unfit medications. The results revealed that all hospital pharmacies did not have a responsible body delegated for quality evaluation. Conclusion: The findings of this study clearly show that quality assurance services in hospital pharmacies are compromised. The findings can be used to identify areas of improvement and develop strategies to enhance the quality of hospital pharmacy services.