Understanding Gaps in Pharmacist–Patient Role Perceptions: Implications for Collaborative Care

Background: Pharmacists increasingly play clinical roles, yet patients often continue to view them primarily as dispensers. Misalignment in role expectations may undermine communication and the effective use of pharmacy services. Aim: This study aimed to examine the extent to which pharmacists and patients in Jordan share similar perceptions of their respective roles in the pharmacist–patient relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2024 to May 2025 with 403 pharmacists and 806 patients recruited from community pharmacies across Jordan. Participants completed parallel role perception questionnaires assessing multiple domains of pharmacist and patient roles, including information sharing and responsible behavior. Mann–Whitney U -tests were used to compare mean ranks between groups. Results: Pharmacists generally assigned higher mean ranks to both pharmacist and patient roles than patients did. For example, pharmacists reported greater agreement than patients on discussing medication side effects (mean rank 669.50 vs. 572.75, p < 0.001), helping patients manage medications (672.84 vs. 571.08, p < 0.001), and greeting patients at the prescription counter and collecting prescription information (640.53 vs. 587.23, p = 0.007). Pharmacists also rated patients’ willingness to collaborate in medication management more highly than patients rated themselves (704.63 vs. 555.19, p < 0.001), indicating a consistent perception gap across the assessed roles. Conclusion: The findings highlight clear perceptual gaps between pharmacists and patients in Jordan regarding their respective roles, particularly in response behavior and information sharing. These gaps may influence pharmacist–patient interaction and collaboration, highlighting areas for further research and targeted interventions. Keywords: patient, pharmacist, relationship, perceptions, roles, gaps, healthcare