Crisis management in community pharmacies during a pandemic.

Autor: Latonen S; Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E (PL 56), 00014, Finland. Electronic address: satu.latonen@helsinki.fi., Neuvonen E; Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E (PL 56), 00014, Finland., Juppo AM; Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E (PL 56), 00014, Finland., Seeck H; Department of Social Sciences, LUT University, Yliopistonkatu 34, 53850, Lappeenranta, Finland; Department of Media & Communications, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK., Airaksinen M; Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E (PL 56), 00014, Finland.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP [Res Social Adm Pharm] 2024 Sep; Vol. 20 (9), pp. 940-948. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jun 24.
DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2024.06.010
Abstrakt: Background: Although the COVID-19 pandemic required community pharmacies to implement several adaptation strategies to ensure medicines' and services' availability, related empirical research based on crisis management theory is lacking.
Objective: This study sought to holistically depict crisis management in Finnish community pharmacies and explore whether (1) pre-existing crisis plans, (2) crisis teams, (3) shared decision-making or (4) collaboration and communication with external stakeholders can protect staff resilience, pharmacy owners' resilience, organisational cohesion ('team spirit') and pharmacies' resources or finances during the pandemic.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was developed based on the crisis management process model and sent to Finnish community pharmacy owners (n = 602) during the pandemic's second wave in October-November 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and logistic regression analysis was performed to explore effects of crisis management efforts. Open-field responses were analysed qualitatively using deductive content analysis.
Results: In total, 221 (36.7 %) pharmacy owners participated in the study. Pharmacies responded to the pandemic with increased order volumes and new suppliers, home deliveries and remote consultations, hand sanitiser production and additional customer counselling concerning the COVID-19. Shared decision-making with pharmacy colleagues (p = 0.025) and collaboration with peers or stakeholders in the supply chain (p = 0.015) protected pharmacy owners' resilience during the pandemic. Additionally, shared decision-making protected pharmacies' finances (p = 0.040). Crisis teams or collaboration with social and healthcare operators did not provide advantage to pharmacies. However, pre-existing pandemic plans associated with reduction of pharmacies' resources (p = 0.006).
Conclusions: Community pharmacies responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with several measures to ensure the continuity of pharmaceutical services and care and the availability of medicines, disinfectants and personal protective equipment. Developing shared decision-making in pharmacies and active collaboration with peers and supply-chain stakeholders could improve pharmacies' finances and their owners' resilience in future crises.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest S. Latonen: Researcher has received funding from the Association of Finnish Pharmacies. E. Neuvonen, A. M. Juppo, H. Seeck, M. Airaksinen: No conflicts of interest to declare.
(Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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