COVID 19 pandemic altered how people work and study. The unfamiliarity to the sudden shift to virtual/remote platforms particularly in the teaching-learning process brought poor mental health in the academe. Constituents of the College of Pharmacy in the University of the Philippines Manila is no exception. The College promoted mental health among its constituents-students, faculty, and staff, through facilitated/supervised self-care, where the usual manner is an individual kind. The approach to the management of stress was holistic to better support the current mode of teaching-learning which uses the virtual platform. Both the initiatives of faculty members and the activities offered by the administration of the college received positive responses and favorable outcomes from the participants. Further studies on the effects of the offered programs and initiatives may result in more regular events and inclusion to the Pharmacy curriculum, respectively.
Mental Health

COVID 19 pandemic altered how people work and study. The unfamiliarity to the sudden shift to virtual/remote platforms particularly in the teaching-learning process brought poor mental health in the academe. Constituents of the College of Pharmacy in the University of the Philippines Manila is no exception. The College promoted mental health among its constituents-students, faculty, and staff, through facilitated/supervised self-care, where the usual manner is an individual kind. The approach to the management of stress was holistic to better support the current mode of teaching-learning which uses the virtual platform. Both the initiatives of faculty members and the activities offered by the administration of the college received positive responses and favorable outcomes from the participants. Further studies on the effects of the offered programs and initiatives may result in more regular events and inclusion to the Pharmacy curriculum, respectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic created the urgent need to use online and virtual platforms to facilitate development of skills and competencies as part of remote learning of students. MyDispense®, a learning management system developed by Monash University in Australia, is a practice-based online tool utilized by the University of the Philippines College of Pharmacy to teach dispensing skills in Dispensing and Incompatibilities courses (Phar 154 and Pharm 133). This commentary describes how MyDispense® was used as an online retail pharmacy simulation through the SEIPS (Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety) model, with discussion on how the person, tasks, organization, tools and technology, and virtual environment work within the teaching and learning process in dispensing. The application of MyDispense® as a learning platform both in remote and traditional teaching can be further explored to maximize its features and utility.
COVID-19

Objectives. The patient medication counseling (PMC) services at Philippine General Hospital (PGH) started 21 years ago. While several changes have been incorporated into the program, no formal evaluation has been conducted to date. The objective of this evaluation was to assess the relevance, usefulness, responsiveness, acceptability, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the service using the context, input, process (CIPP) model of Stufflebeam.

Methods. The study utilized a mixed-methods study design. Interviews and surveys were conducted on pharmacist-counselors, a purposive sample of doctors, nurses, and other stakeholders. A review of records from the Department of Pharmacy of UP College of Pharmacy (UPCP) and PGH, such as patient and student satisfaction surveys and monthly reports of counseled patients served from 2015 to 2019, was conducted. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data.

Results. Context evaluation revealed that the establishment of PMC resulted from informal interactions with hospitalized patients due to incorrect use of prescription medicines. Correct information was envisioned to address the irresponsible use of medicines. The input evaluation revealed that only 24% (N=75) of the pharmacists are involved in PMC, which comprise only 10% of their workload. There was also a lack of comprehensive training for counseling and insufficient physical facilities. The process evaluation identified lack of time (94%) as a significant limiting factor for the involvement of pharmacists in PMC. The interns became an additional workforce for the service, but scheduling and the consistent availability of both students and faculty-preceptors were experienced. The product evaluation revealed positive perceptions among the pharmacists, faculty, and student interns. From the patient satisfaction survey records of 5,071 patients counseled, 98 to 100% expressed high service satisfaction, and 100% were likely to recommend PMC to other patients. The pharmacists, interns, and faculty-preceptors suggested that PMC improved their confidence, communication skills, and decision-making.

Conclusion. The PMC service is relevant and valuable to ensure patients' rational and quality use of medicines. As a value-added service to existing hospital pharmacy services, it serves as a venue for enhancing soft skills among pharmacists and students alike. However, physical and human resources and current processes need to be upgraded to improve efficiency, ensure sustainability, and expand service coverage to more patients.

Pharmacists ; Patient Safety ; Quality Improvement

The COVID-19 pandemic created the urgent need to use online and virtual platforms to facilitate development of skills and competencies as part of remote learning of students. MyDispense®, a learning management system developed by Monash University in Australia, is a practice-based online tool utilized by the University of the Philippines College of Pharmacy to teach dispensing skills in Dispensing and Incompatibilities courses (Phar 154 and Pharm 133). This commentary describes how MyDispense® was used as an online retail pharmacy simulation through the SEIPS (Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety) model, with discussion on how the person, tasks, organization, tools and technology, and virtual environment work within the teaching and learning process in dispensing. The application of MyDispense® as a learning platform both in remote and traditional teaching can be further explored to maximize its features and utility.
Remote learning

OBJECTIVES

To assess the clients’ perceptions of the UP College of Pharmacy (UPCP) Telepharmacy Service on their knowledge, decision-making, and medication safety.

METHODS

The study employed a cross-sectional design administered through guided voice-call interviews using an online survey questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The inclusion criteria of the study were as follows: (1) must be at least 18 years old, (2) with no cognitive impairment, (3) must have sent a medication-related query in the UPCP Telepharmacy Service between October 2020 and July 2022, and (4) must be contacted through voice call platforms.

RESULTS

A total of 72 respondents participated in the study. Majority were from 30 to 59-year-old age category (51.39%), females (72.22%), from Region IV-A (36.11%), college graduates (44.44%), and with average monthly income of below PhP 11,000 (47.22%). Overall, clients reported very positive perceptions on the drug information advice received (X̅4.510) and were very satisfied with the service (X̅ 4.625). They perceived that the advice influenced their decision-making about their medications (X̅ 4.514) and increased their understanding of medication safety (X̅ 4.522). Multiple regression analysis revealed that clients’ perception on drug information advice is positively associated with perceived effect on decision-making (r = 0.5033; p = 0.000) and medication safety (r = 0.4320; p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

The pharmacist-led drug information service, such as the UPCP Telepharmacy Service, is a helpful program to provide accurate and reliable medication information to clients who need them amidst the increasing accessibility of medical information on the internet. It can help improve knowledge of patients about appropriate use of medicines, drug interactions, and adverse drug reactions that will enable them to make informed decisions regarding their medications, identify the need to consult with healthcare providers, and ultimately ensure medication safety.

Human ; Adult: 25-44 Yrs Old ; Middle Aged: 45-64 Yrs Old ; Telehealth ; Telemedicine ; Drug Information Services