Factors affecting community pharmacists’ intention to provide medication management program and disease screening in Bangkok

Objectives: To determine factors affecting community pharmacists’ intention to provide medication management program (MMP) and disease screening (DS) based on diffusion of innovations theory. Methods: A cross-sectional study using self-administered mail survey was conducted in Bangkok. The study assessed knowledge, intention to provide each service and indentified factors affecting community pharmacists’ intention to provide MMP and DS. Community pharmacists were requested to complete the questionnaire. The four point Likert’s scale was applied to measure agreement level. Key findings: The respondents reported knowing DS (59.48%) more than MMP (19.17%) and had intention to provide DS (27.60%) and MMP (24.10%) within one year. Multivariate analysis indicated that compatibility with pharmacy profession framework, compatibility with routine work procedures, observability and pharmacy readiness had positive effects on intention to provide MMP while complexity had a negative effect on intention to provide MMP. Only compatibility with pharmacy profession framework had statistically significant effect on intention to provide MMP (OR=2.995, 95% CI=1.034-8.671). Compatibility with pharmacy profession framework, compatibility with routine work procedures and observability had positive effects on intention to provide DS while complexity and pharmacy readiness had negative effects on intention to provide DS. Only complexity had statistically significant effect on intention to provide DS (OR=0.328, 95% CI=0.111-0.968). Conclusions: In this study, compatibility with pharmacy profession framework was key characteristic of MMP and complexity was key characteristic of DS which affected community pharmacists’ intention to provide services. Strategies designed to influence community pharmacists’ intention to provide MMP and DS by include these dominant characteristics of MMP and DS should be implemented. The service model for MMP must be most compatible with professional pharmacy act and not redundant with other healthcare professional roles. The service model for DS must be less complex particularly knowledge and skills requirement, and must be designed to simplify documentation process. NHSO should provide supporting tools such as IT infrastructure and building the capacity of pharmacy readiness. The formal business model of both services and the remunerated roles of community pharmacists must be developed as tools for sustainable practice of community pharmacy profession.