ABSTRACT

Background: Pharmaceutical care is increasingly vital in community pharmacies, where pharmacists play a key role in patient care. Healthcare reforms and legislative initiatives have driven the shift towards patient-centered care in community pharmacy. Evaluating current practices is crucial for enhancing patient outcomes and continuous assessment ensures alignment with evolving patient needs and standards.Top of Form

Objectives: To assess the current pharmaceutical care practices by community pharmacists and evaluate the extent of patient education practices conducted by study participants in their establishments.

Methods: In a cross-sectional observational design to evaluate pharmaceutical care practices among community pharmacists in Benin City, a simple random sampling was employed to select 239 participants. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed descriptively using Microsoft Excel 2016.

Results: As much as 93.7% of community pharmacists in Benin City reported having a counseling section in their pharmacies. 95.0% actively involved patients in medication management. However, only 45.6% had access to electronic health records, and just 20.9% conducted medication reviews regularly. Concerningly, less than half (49.4%) felt very confident about their knowledge of pharmaceutical care principles. Despite these challenges, over 85% educated patients on the importance of adherence to drug therapy, showcasing their commitment to improving patient outcomes. However, only 54% always provided medication counseling, indicating potential gaps in patient education. Furthermore, while 91.2% felt adequately trained to identify and resolve medication-related problems, only 63.6% considered patients' preferences when providing pharmaceutical care.