Questionnaire Survey on the Needs of Outpatients Receiving Cancer Treatment Regarding Hospital Pharmacists:

Hospital pharmacists can reduce the burden on physicians and improve the quality of cancer chemotherapy through task shifting and task sharing in cancer treatment. However, the specific needs and expectations of patients toward hospital pharmacists have not yet been clarified. We conducted an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey to assess the types of requests hospital pharmacists have for patients undergoing outpatient cancer treatment. A total of 310 outpatients with cancer attending Kyoto University Hospital, Gifu University Hospital, or Ise Red Cross Hospital were surveyed. The questionnaire response rate was 78.7％. The questionnaire survey revealed that approximately 30％ of the patients were unable to fully communicate their wishes to medical doctors, and most of them preferred to consult with hospital pharmacists. The primary request of the patients for hospital pharmacists was an explanation about the adverse effects related to cancer treatment and anticancer drugs. There was also a high demand for advice on daily life precautions, lifestyle habits, and consultations on issues that patients feel unable to discuss with their primary doctor. However, some patients are still unable to consult with either their doctor or pharmacist. Therefore, there is a strong expectation for establishing a system that allows patients to consult with hospital pharmacists in outpatient cancer care. In conclusion, outpatient patients with cancer have a high need for hospital pharmacists. Hospital pharmacists must secure time to meet outpatients and effectively promote task shifting/sharing that benefits both medical doctors and patients.