Development of a Web Program for Training “Family Pharmacists” and Verification of Its Effectiveness

Abstract

In Japan, the “family pharmacist” system was established as a policy measure for the rapid aging of society. However, pharmacists have not always been positive about utilizing the system, partly owing to the problem of patient co-payments. We developed an educational program for young pharmacists to deepen their understanding of the care they can provide as a “family pharmacist” and the patients who need such care and verified its effectiveness. In response to the spread of COVID-19, the educational program was fully web-based, and the assignment was repeated three times after viewing the video. Educational effectiveness was verified by measuring changes in pharmacists’ awareness of the program. After attending the program, scores on psychological barriers that exist before providing care, such as “I don’t know how to ask for consent” and “I don’t know how to explain the cost of care,” were reduced. The results suggest that the program is effective in educating pharmacists to be able to provide care as a family pharmacist.