Community pharmacists show higher assertiveness with multidisciplinary training

Community Pharmacists, as integral members of the healthcare system, play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and effective use of medicines. "Assertive self-expression," a communication style characterized by an open and respectful expression of opinions and feelings, has gained attention, especially in interactions with physicians and other healthcare professionals. Previous studies have demonstrated that pharmacists with assertive communication tendencies are more likely to provide suggestions to physicians regarding drug prescriptions. This study aimed to explore factors associated with higher levels of assertive self-expression among community pharmacists.

A questionnaire survey was distributed to 3,446 community pharmacists working across 10 prefectures in Japan. The survey examined various factors, including age, employment status, educational background, years of work experience, visiting pharmacist experience, and participation in multidisciplinary training sessions and meetings. Of the 961 participants who responded, those who regularly attended local multiprofessional workshops and meetings exhibited significantly higher levels of assertive self-expression. This trend persisted even after adjusting for other variables.

Although this study highlights the relationship between active participation in local multidisciplinary workshops and assertive communication among community pharmacists, further research is required to establish a causal link.