Results of a study on collaborative doctor-pharmacist prescribing showed a positive outlook on the future role of pharmacy in Australia. Andrew Hale led the investigation to find out whether patient satisfaction with the pharmacist as a prescriber and collaborative doctor-pharmacist prescribing may be barriers to implementation of pharmacist prescribing.

Surveys of 200 patients in a surgical pre-admission clinic (PAC) in a tertiary hospital and in and outpatient sexual health clinic showed 91% and 85% patient satisfaction respectively. A further survey investigating attitudes towards pharmacist prescribing on 17 patients diagnosed with HIV infection in the sexual health clinic had a 82% response rate.

In the sexual health clinic, all 14 patients agreed that they trusted the pharmacist’s ability to prescribe, care was as good as usual care, and that they would recommend seeing a pharmacist prescriber to friends.

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