"Access to pharmacy services is difficult in China": a qualitative study from the perspective of transplant recipients to explore their expectations

• Published in: BMC health services research Vol. 24; no. 1; p. 387
• Main Authors: Yin, Zhao, Zhang, Wan, Jia, Xuedong, Yang, Xi, Guo, Wenzhi, Fu, Hang, Du, Shuzhang, Zhang, Xiaojian, Si, Fangying, Li, Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 27.03.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Community Pharmacy Services; Complications and side effects; Evaluation; Focus Groups; Humans; Indigent care; Motivation; Organ transplant recipients; Patient outcomes; Perceptions and expectations; Pharmacists; Pharmacy services; Prescription writing; Qualitative Research; Qualitative study; Transplant Recipients; Transplantation of organs, tissues, etc; Transplants & implants; China; United States > US; Organ transplant recipients; Perceptions and expectations; Pharmacy services; Qualitative study
• ISSN: 1472-6963; 1472-6963
• DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10733-6

To gain an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of Chinese organ transplant recipients' perceptions, expectations, and suggestions of pharmacy services to hospital pharmacists. This qualitative study was conducted in central China, from February to December 2020. Participants were collected with a purposive and snowball sampling method. Focus group discussions were conducted with organ transplant recipients and content analysis was applied to identify themes and subthemes. 21 recipients participated in the qualitative study. Four themes and thirteen subthemes were identified: (1) perceptions of clinical pharmacists and pharmacy services; (2) expectations for pharmacy service content; (3) expectations for pharmacy service form; and (4) difficulties as a special group. The pharmacy services provided by Chinese healthcare institutions are inadequate to meet the needs of organ transplant recipients. However, the acceptance and expectation of pharmacy services by transplant recipients are high. Therefore, China should learn from the experience of developed countries and focus on the actual needs of patients to establish a better pharmacy service system for organ transplantation.