Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives

Abstract Background People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are frequently admitted to hospital and experience challenges with their medicines. Changing service delivery to address medicines-related challenges has been shown to reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes. Befor...

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Main Authors: Torbjørn Nygård, David Wright, Reidun L. S. Kjome, Hamde Nazar, Aase Raddum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Health Services Research
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12992-3
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author Torbjørn Nygård
David Wright
Reidun L. S. Kjome
Hamde Nazar
Aase Raddum
author_facet Torbjørn Nygård
David Wright
Reidun L. S. Kjome
Hamde Nazar
Aase Raddum
author_sort Torbjørn Nygård
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are frequently admitted to hospital and experience challenges with their medicines. Changing service delivery to address medicines-related challenges has been shown to reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes. Before attempting to improve medicines-related support through new interventions, it is necessary to firstly understand contextual factors surrounding the delivery of current usual care. The aim was to identify improvement areas of medicines support during and after hospital discharge, and why this support is not always provided. Methods Hospital pulmonary ward staff were included in a focus group and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed through systematic text condensation. Results Six major themes were developed and classified as organisational or practitioner level. Organisational level themes were: (1) transfer between care levels is challenging, (2) follow-up lacks coordination, and (3) low financial resources. Practitioner level themes were: (4) competence about COPD is needed, (5) clarification of professional role and task distribution, and (6) practitioners need to educate and support patients. Conclusions Medicines support for people with COPD during and after discharge would benefit from undertaking medicines reconciliation and increasing coordination across care levels. Furthermore, choice of inhaler devices should not be limited by reimbursement systems. Medicines support interventions should be adapted for primary and secondary care settings or include collaboration across care levels.
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spelling doaj-art-5022f6b3f5214aa4950f221d5ebebd972025-08-20T04:01:26ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632025-07-012511810.1186/s12913-025-12992-3Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectivesTorbjørn Nygård0David Wright1Reidun L. S. Kjome2Hamde Nazar3Aase Raddum4Centre for Pharmacy/Department of Clinical Science, University of BergenSchool of Healthcare, University of LeicesterCentre for Pharmacy/Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of BergenSchool of Pharmacy, Newcastle NIHR Patient Safety Research Collaboration, Newcastle UniversityCentre for Pharmacy/Department of Clinical Science, University of BergenAbstract Background People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are frequently admitted to hospital and experience challenges with their medicines. Changing service delivery to address medicines-related challenges has been shown to reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes. Before attempting to improve medicines-related support through new interventions, it is necessary to firstly understand contextual factors surrounding the delivery of current usual care. The aim was to identify improvement areas of medicines support during and after hospital discharge, and why this support is not always provided. Methods Hospital pulmonary ward staff were included in a focus group and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed through systematic text condensation. Results Six major themes were developed and classified as organisational or practitioner level. Organisational level themes were: (1) transfer between care levels is challenging, (2) follow-up lacks coordination, and (3) low financial resources. Practitioner level themes were: (4) competence about COPD is needed, (5) clarification of professional role and task distribution, and (6) practitioners need to educate and support patients. Conclusions Medicines support for people with COPD during and after discharge would benefit from undertaking medicines reconciliation and increasing coordination across care levels. Furthermore, choice of inhaler devices should not be limited by reimbursement systems. Medicines support interventions should be adapted for primary and secondary care settings or include collaboration across care levels.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12992-3Health services researchQualitative researchFocus groupsInterviews as topicPulmonary DiseaseChronic Obstructive
spellingShingle Torbjørn Nygård
David Wright
Reidun L. S. Kjome
Hamde Nazar
Aase Raddum
Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives
BMC Health Services Research
Health services research
Qualitative research
Focus groups
Interviews as topic
Pulmonary Disease
Chronic Obstructive
title Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives
title_full Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives
title_fullStr Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives
title_full_unstemmed Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives
title_short Providing medicines-related support for people with COPD before and after hospital discharge—a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives
title_sort providing medicines related support for people with copd before and after hospital discharge a qualitative study of hospital staff perspectives
topic Health services research
Qualitative research
Focus groups
Interviews as topic
Pulmonary Disease
Chronic Obstructive
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12992-3
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