"EXPLORATION OF THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ON COMMUNITY PHARMACY PRACTICES IN NIGERIA (ETI-OSA, LAGOS)" by SALIU ADELEKE YUSUF

 Objectives:

The aim of the present work is to explore the practice of community pharmacy in Lagos state through the eyes of community pharmacists and their perception on the use of the novel information and communication technology ICT, and its effective implementation in the practice of community pharmacy in state and hence the Nigerian communities. Other objectives include:

• Exploration of the professionalism, work practice and ethics of community pharmacist in Lagos state, Nigeria

• Exploration of the observed non-adoption and hence ineffective usage of ICT-based techniques such as the use of computerized network in recording, storing and accessing patients’ health information; electronic prescription as well as telecare services by community pharmacists in the research study locality.

• Identify the bottlenecks and hence barriers responsible for non-employment/ineffective use of ICT in the practice of community pharmacy which overshadowed the field in Nigeria.

• Explore the importance of and how ICT-based techniques usage in the practice of community pharmacy would improve and thus benefit all stakeholders associated with the Nigerian healthcare system.

• Proffer novel and insightful ideas and solutions that can lead to the effective adoption and full implementation of ICT techniques across various community pharmacies in Lagos state and thus improving the Nigeria health care system 

Methodology:

The present work was modelled on qualitative research pedagogy and relied on the use of deductive survey questions. The research study was conducted specifically in the selected locality of Eti-Osa, EtI-Osa Local government area within the Lagos State metropolis, Nigeria. This was facilitated through a conducted semi-structured interview that led to the generation of in-depth explanatory data obtained from a small sample of licensed and practicing community pharmacists (those in stand-alone stores) using the pre-drafted qualitative survey questions as research tool
 
Findings:

Based on the research findings obtained from semi-structured interviews conducted on licensed and practicing pharmacists in Eti Osa LGA, Lagos metropolis, it is found that information and communication technology just like how it always enhances and thus redefine professional functions in every work station, can also redefine community pharmacy practice in Nigeria. In the present research study area community pharmacists, which discharge their professional duties in a standalone pharmacy were well conversant with the concept of ICT application which is somehow lacking in the practice of community pharmacy in developing countries such as Nigeria,
 
Analysis:

For the present study, the research data from the respondents were analyzed through Deductive Thematic Analysis approach. This qualitative method of data analysis follows six models which include (1) Reading through transcribed text and establishing data correspondence with the research focus; (2) “Coding” of texts to bring out the salient points and similar response pattern from respondents; (3) Using the coded texts to generate a themes; (4) Reviewing the generated themes so as to offset data anomaly and research bias; (5) Renaming the themes as the case may be; and (6) Writing up a theme to aptly capture and project a particular research observation.

Conclusions:

The findings made shows the non-existent or usage of ICT-based techniques such as Electronic Prescription in the line of duty of community pharmacists strained these health professionals who had to deal with the enormous workload that comes with manual filling of medication prescriptions, while researchers including Afolabi and Oyebisi (2007) as well Leung and colleagues (2013) opined that the professional duties of community pharmacists in Nigeria do not measure up greatly as ICT-based techniques which would help offset the never ending problems of medication error were lacking. Consequently, community pharmacists in the present studies advocated for the introduction of such ICT based techniques into their work station and laid much emphasis on the need of real technical and professional training on the use of these ICT techniques which they regard as one of the key determinants that would make them to be flexible while discharging their professional functions, saving them a sizeable time that had been chunked and helping combat problems such as medication errors.