There is much debate about how to promote the provision of advanced pharmacy services in the community setting. There are many factors to consider, ranging from the experience and training of the pharmacist, the attitudes of those providing the service, and the organizational culture of the pharmacy, itself.
Organizational culture has been defined in many ways. It is the underlying beliefs, assumptions, values and ways of interacting that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization. It includes an organization's expectations, experiences, philosophy, as well as the values that guide its members. More simply, it has been referred to as “the way we do things around here”.
More frequently, organizational culture is implicated in the success of pharmacy businesses and how they position themselves, whether being patient-centric, or other. A study by Rosenthal et al1 found that pharmacists working in organizations considered to be competitive and innovative were more likely to be involved in delivering advanced pharmacy services. Additionally, extroverted pharmacists are more likely to provide immunizations, and those being high on the traits of agreeableness and openness were more likely to be completing medication reviews.
Organizational culture and pharmacist characteristics can exert considerable influence on the array of advanced services provided to patients.
Additional information about Organizational Structure and Behavior and Value-Added Services as a Component of Enhancing Pharmacists’ Roles in Public Health can be found Pharmacy Management: Essentials for All Practice Settings, 4e. If you or your institution subscribes to AccessPharmacy, use or create your MyAccess Profile to sign-in to Pharmacy Management: Essentials for All Practice Settings, 4e. If your institution does not provide access, ask your medical librarian about subscribing.
1Rosenthal M, Tsao NW, Tsuyuki RT, Marra CA. Identifying relationships between the professional culture of pharmacy, pharmacists’ personality traits, and the provision of advanced pharmacy services. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2016;12(1):56-67.
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