Perceptions and Opinions of Canadian Hospital Executives: RESULTS part 2
Perceived Importance of Drug-Related Issues
Appropriateness of drug use, medication errors, and proper drug utilization were considered the drug-related issues with the highest perceived importance to respondents, whereas access to prescription drugs, breakthrough medications, and patent duration were the issues with the lowest perceived importance (Table 5).
Differences across the Country
For only one section in the entire survey did geographic region have a statistically significant effect on responses: perceived importance of prior authorization requirements as a method of optimizing the use of pharmaceuticals (F = 3.21, p = 0.014). Specifically, the perceived importance of prior authorization requirements was higher among Quebec respondents than among those from British Columbia or Ontario (mean scores 3.76/5 for Quebec, 2.70/5 for British Columbia, and 3.02/5 for Ontario, where 5 = very high importance and 1 = very low importance).
cialis soft tabs
Table 5. Perceived Importance of Drug-Related Issues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
216 |
|
|
||
Qualitative Analysis
Respondents were asked 2 questions about value related to drug therapy: “In your opinion, do you feel your organization is getting value for the money spent on drugs?” and “Do you have access to information systems that help you to assess the value derived from drugs?” Fifty-eight percent of respondents (158/272) felt that their respective organizations were getting value for the money spent on drugs. These results did not appear to be influenced by respondents’ demographic characteristics. One hundred and three respondents (37.9%) provided additional comments related to this question. These comments were analyzed and grouped into 6 themes (Table 6). In general, respondents stated that it was difficult to determine value (interpreted as improved patient outcomes) because of the lack of or the lack of use of available information sources (including pharmacists); they also stated that the place of costly innovative treatments and their benefits to patients is not known when the institution needs such information to stock the drug and treat patients. Among the 88 respondents who provided additional comments for the second question, 19 (22%) reported that they did not have access to information systems that would help them to assess value from drugs, 16 (18%) reported that they did have access to such systems, and an additional 39 (44%) reported having access but qualified their response. Most of those who qualified their answers spoke to the limitations of current information systems, including having limited access to more complete systems and the need for improvement in accessing complete and integrated information from existing systems. Thirty-two respondents (11.8%) provided additional comments about medication management issues, which addressed such issues as developing and implementing standards of and education about management of pharmaceuticals, the need to understand different perspectives of value (for money), improving access to information about safe medication use, and implementing solutions to improve medication management. canada viagra online
