“Can we achieve better outcomes for patients with hypertension in primary care?” – training for pharmacists in a randomised control trial. — The Association Specialists
  1. Schedule
  2. Delivering Healthy Populations and an Effective Health Service
  3. “Can we achieve better outcomes for patients with hypertension in primary care?” – training for pharmacists in a randomised control trial.

“Can we achieve better outcomes for patients with hypertension in primary care?” – training for pharmacists in a randomised control trial. (426)

Carol Armour 1 , Chris Roberts 2 , Kate Lemay 1 , Beata Bajorek 3 , Ines Krass 4 , Parker Magin 5
  1. Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Sydney Medical School - Northern, Hornsby, NSW, Australia
  3. Pharmacy, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Medications are the key to managing many chronic conditions in the Australian primary healthcare system. However, adherence to medication regimens can be poor and control of disease may be suboptimal.  We conducted a randomised controlled trial which used the medication expertise of specially trained community pharmacists to provide advice on therapeutic adjustment, monitoring, education and support of adherence in hypertension care. We examined the feasibility and acceptability of the education delivered to pharmacist prior to commencement of the trial, and its effectiveness in demonstrating community pharmacists’ competence to conduct the intervention
A manual of pre-reading, based on Heart Foundation materials, was developed; covering hypertension, therapeutic management and adherence. All participant pharmacists were sent the manual and asked to read it prior to the training session. Intervention pharmacists received one day of training, and control half a day. The objective of the training day was to integrate and build on the pre-reading material. It involved lectures on BP measurement and treatment, practical skills development in BP measurement, workshops to practice adherence strategies as well as scenarios which involved assessment of individual patient needs, optimal therapy and potential solutions. The pharmacists were assessed on their practical skills in BP measurement as well as by a case, which was administered at the end of the day. They were also given some cases to take away and complete and return and /or discuss with the team so that they felt confident in applying the study protocol. The control pharmacists did not receive the lectures on the health collaboration model or workshops for adherence strategies and therapeutic interventions.
A mixed methods evaluation was used to test the acceptability of the educational intervention. In the intervention arm, 9 pharmacists were trained with the educational intervention, and they provided care to 14 patients over 12 months, while in the control arm, 8 pharmacists provided ‘‘usual care’’ to 18 patients. All community pharmacists were assessed as competent to deliver collaborative care. The intervention pharmacists were highly satisfied with the education received and rated most aspects highly. They valued the team-based approach, the involvement of GPs in the training, the pre-reading manual, BP measurement workshop, and case studies. The positive results of the educational intervention demonstrate the acceptability and effectiveness of our educational approach in training community pharmacists to deliver care in hypertension.