A Qualitative Study Exploring the Management of Medicine Shortages in the Community Pharmacy of Pakistan.

ABSTRACT: Managing medicine shortages consumes ample time of pharmacists worldwide. This study aimed to explore the strategies and resources being utilized by community pharmacists to tackle a typical shortage problem. Qualitative face-to-face interviews were conducted. A total of 31 community pharmacists from three cities (Lahore, Multan, and Dera Ghazi Khan) in Pakistan were sampled, using a purposive approach. All interviews were audio taped, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to thematic analysis. The analysis yielded five broad themes and eighteen subthemes. The themes highlighted (1) the current scenarios of medicine shortages in a community setting, (2) barriers encountered during the shortage management, (3) impacts, (4) corrective actions performed for handling shortages and (4) future int

SUBMITTER: Omer S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8535806 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature