A Development Approach for Pharmacy to Reach Standards of Quality Pharmacy: Yala Province

Abstract

This study aims to study approaches to develop a pharmacy to reach standards of quality pharmacy in Yala province. The study deploys quantitative data collection using questionnaire survey. Samples for this research consist of 32 pharmacists who run pharmacy owners, 18 pharmacy owners who are not pharmacists, and 18 pharmacists who work in pharmacies. Qualitative data is collected by undertaking in-depth interview with officers from Pharmaceutical Council, Food and Drug Administration, and Yala Provincial Health Office. Then, the both quantitative and qualitative data is analyzed in focus group process to innovate approaches for pharmacy development. The research found that main factors affected quality development of pharmacy includes 1) level of difficulty to run pharmacy up to the standards 2) importance of “the quality pharmacy” is ignored 3) lack of motivation 4) lack of law enforcement 5) less public awareness. The study also proposes some approaches to development quality pharmacy, including divide pharmacy development process into 3 steps, support quality pharmacy administration program, write simple and clear manual for quality standard pharmacy, increase benefit to pharmacy owners, raise awareness of “the quality pharmacy”, decrease expense and work process, organize training course for pharmacy staff, and seriously monitor and control by related organizations.