Object: In this study, we conducted a fact-finding investigation to determine the reason for the gap between medical services provided by family pharmacists and the medical needs of patients, and examined factors that affect the rate of signing consent forms.
Methods: This study implemented an Internet questionnaire survey of patients who regularly use pharmacies owing to chronic diseases, and family pharmacists, surveying information on the services provided by family pharmacists.
Results: The survey extracted “inventory of leftover drugs”, “providing consultations outside pharmacy hours”, “introducing local medical/nursing facilities”, and “home visits”, as characteristic services that patients expected to be provided by family pharmacists. In addition, family pharmacists provided these four services at rates of 87.4, 75.9, 51.7 and 48.5%.
Conclusion: These results suggest a possible discrepancy between the functions of family pharmacies required by patients and the medical services provided by family pharmacists. Steps should be taken to match services provided by family pharmacists with the needs of the patients, to increase the rate of signing consent forms.
