Interprofessional Collaboration and Team Effectiveness of Pharmacists in General Practice: A Cross-National Survey

As team-based care continues to evolve, pharmacists have been included in general practice teams in many countries, to varying extents, to improve medication use and patient safety. However, evidence on interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of pharmacists in general practice is sparse. This study aimed to compare the extent of interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of general practice pharmacists in Australia with international sites (Canada and the UK), and identify the factors associated with interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness. General practice pharmacists from Australia, Canada, and the UK were identified through professional organisations and networks, and invited to participate in an online survey, adapted from existing validated tools. The survey explored interprofessional collaboration through four sub-domains (professional interactions, relationship initiation, trust and role clarity, and commitment to collaboration) and team effectiveness of general practice pharmacists. Of the 101 respondents (26 from Australia, 44 from Canada and 31 from the UK), 79% were female and 78% were aged below 50 years. Interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness appeared to be high and similar between countries. Total scores for collaboration of pharmacists were 86.1 +/- 7.4 in Australia, 88.5 +/- 7.5 in the UK, and 89.1 +/- 7.3 in Canada (mean +/- SD, where higher scores represent more advanced collaboration), while the team effectiveness scores of the pharmacists were 88.6 +/- 14.6 in Canada, 91.8 +/- 14.6 in Australia and 97.5 +/- 14.0 in the UK. Pharmacists who had worked in general practice for a longer time showed advanced interprofessional collaboration while those who worked exclusively in general practice had higher scores for team effectiveness. Overall, general practice pharmacists in the three countries were highly collaborative with general practitioners. Long-term employment and longer work hours could enhance interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness in general practice pharmacists by improving trust and working relationships over time.

Automated summary

With the development of team-based care, pharmacists have been integrated into general practice teams in many countries to enhance medication use and patient safety. However, there is limited evidence on the collaboration and effectiveness of pharmacists in general practice. This study aimed to compare interprofessional collaboration and team effectiveness of general practice pharmacists in Australia, Canada, and the UK and identify associated factors. The results showed high levels of collaboration and similar team effectiveness among general practice pharmacists from these countries. Long-term employment and longer work hours were found to enhance collaboration and effectiveness.