Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare (Jul 2021)
Role of Pharmacists in the Interprofessional Care Team for Patients with Chronic Diseases
Abstract
Susi Afrianti Rahayu,1,2 Sunu Widianto,3 Irma Ruslina Defi,4,5 Rizky Abdulah1,6 1Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Indonesia; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bumi Siliwangi College of Pharmacy, Bandung, Indonesia; 3Department of Management and Business, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Indonesia; 4Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Indonesia; 5Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia; 6Center for Excellence in Higher Education for Pharmaceutical Care Innovation, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, IndonesiaCorrespondence: Rizky AbdulahDepartment of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jl. Raya Bandung Sumedang KM 21, Jatinangor, 45363, IndonesiaTel +62 2284288812Email [email protected]: Chronic diseases are a major health problem and cause of death worldwide. Patients with chronic diseases should be managed by an interprofessional care team consisting of general practitioners, medical specialists, nurses, and pharmacists. However, the roles of pharmacists in this interprofessional care team have not been fully explored. This study, therefore, examined their roles as members of the interprofessional care team in managing patients with chronic diseases. A search in PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted for research articles that discussed pharmacists, interprofessional healthcare, and chronic diseases. From initial 420 identified articles, a total of 27 articles were included in this study. The interprofessional healthcare team should have a sense of tolerance and belonging among its members, which is reflected in five dimensions: partnership, coordination, cooperation, decision-making, and therapeutic outcomes. The five dimensions are closely related because they support each other in the success of the therapy. The presence of pharmacists in an interprofessional healthcare team has been proven to help facilitate access to primary care and improve patient outcomes. Pharmacists can assist in managing chronic disease conditions by providing drug information to patients and other healthcare providers and by acting as a consultant for treatment-related issues. The pharmacist’s role as part of an interprofessional care team reinforces the importance of a collaborative healthcare team in providing clinical services to patients with chronic diseases.Keywords: pharmacist, interprofessional care, chronic diseases, health care
