약국약사의 커뮤니티 재구성과 환자중심성

의약분업 20년, 약사 전문주의 변화

Twenty years have passed since the separating drug prescribing and dispensing was implemented in Korea. The separation fundamentally changed the ground of the professionality of community pharmacists. This study explored, after experiencing the structural transition in pharmacies, the changes in pharmacists’ perception of their professional roles and also examined whether the perceived roles captured concepts related to patient-centeredness. In addition, this study searched the possibility of cooperation with doctors in the context. Data from in-depth interview with 13 experienced community pharmacists was analysed using thematic content analysis. Following five themes were emerged: ‘Factors influencing change in professionality’, ‘Perceived changes in role of community pharmacists’, ‘Perception of patients’, ‘Relationship with doctors’, ‘Conditions for better service’. Participants perceived that the pharmacist’s roles were connecting the prescriptions and patients and providing patient-specific information. Pharmacists have captured the patient as a person and the new communities as the object of their professional roles. These results confirmed that changes in the roles of pharmacists were primarily related to patient-centered care. However, it seems that the possibility of cooperation with doctors is still low. Understanding pharmacists’ perception about their roles may provide insight into recent and historical changes in pharmacy practice. Furthermore, this study raises the need to expand opportunities for cooperation with doctors.