Abstract
Securing hospital pharmacists in regions experiencing shortages is an urgent priority for providing safe and high-quality pharmaceutical services in Japan. In June 2023, Tohoku University Hospital initiated a pharmacist secondment program to support the establishment of operational frameworks in other hospital pharmacy departments. This study examined the impact of operational support provided by pharmacists seconded from Tohoku University Hospital on the pharmacy departments of assigned institutions. Accordingly, a questionnaire survey targeting pharmacists at the assigned institution was conducted.
A pharmacist with seven years of experience was seconded to Kesennuma City Hospital for ten months, during which the pharmacist engaged in various duties, including information sharing and operational implementation. The questionnaire survey was conducted anonymously via a web-based platform among all pharmacists working in the Pharmacy Department of Kesennuma City Hospital during fiscal year 2023. The questions were designed to align with the pharmacist’s primary duties, and each section included a free-response field.
Responses from 10 participants who provided informed consent were analyzed. With respect to dispensing duties, the responses indicated a reduction in workload. Regarding ward duties, the responses also showed a decrease in workload and an improvement in the quality of medication management guidance. Overall, the majority of responses were favorable toward the pharmacist’s efforts and the secondment itself.
These findings suggest that pharmacists seconded from Tohoku University Hospital may have a positive impact on the assigned pharmacy departments in various aspects.
