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KMID : 0904520140350010107
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Health and Medical Sociology
2014 Volume.35 No. 1 p.107 ~ p.144
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A Qualitative Study on the Practice of Community Pharmacists’ Social Roles after the Separation of Drug Prescribing and Dispensing in Korea
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Byeon Jin-Ok
Cho Byong-Hee
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Abstract
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The professional status of community pharmacists has been controversial for a long time. They had been perceived as "incomplete profession" even before the separation of drug prescribing and dispensing, perceived that pharmacists were quasi-doctors and more business mined than humanitarian. However, the separation changed radically the community pharmacists’ role and the nature of works.
Assuming that for community pharmacists the separation might be considered to be a good chance to reinforce their professional status, this study intended to identify community pharmacists" social roles, explore their professional identity in changing environment, and to reconstruct their professionalism.
In-depth interviews from over-10-years experienced pharmacy pharmacists were analyzed by a qualitative method, specifically grounded theory approach.
Community pharmacists perceived that their social roles are maximizing the benefits and controlling the risks of drugs. Community Pharmacist’s autonomy could be called “interactive autonomy”, because the setting of their professional practice has been placed in interactive one between doctors, patients, and government after the separation.
Advances in pharmaceutical technology, rationalization of national health care system, enhanced accessibility to knowledge of drugs, and drug safety regulations will transform social expectation about pharmacy. Ultimately, their ability to perform needing social roles balanced with their business nature will show the future of the professionalism of community pharmacists.
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KEYWORD
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Community Pharmacist, Professionalism, Autonomy, the Separation of Prescribing and Dispensing Drugs
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