A study on the direction of drug information service capacity development of Chinese medical staff: based on the perspective of drug information patients obtained and need

Background: There are some gaps between the cultivation of drug information service competencies for medical staff and drug information patients need in China. Objective To investigate drug information patients obtained and need for further providing directions for the cultivation of drug information service competencies among medical staff in China from patients’ perspectives. Methods Adopted a stratified sampling method, a face-to-face survey was conducted nationwide to collect data on drug information patients obtained and need. Results A total of 1994 questionnaires from medical institutions in China were returned. Most of the drug information obtained by patients came from physicians, and different types of drug information were important to patients. Additionally, medical staff ignored the fact that patients had different needs for drug information due to age, gender, diagnosis and treatment status, and education level. Conclusions The cultivation of medical staff needs to increase the presence of nurses and pharmacists in drug information services, enhance the awareness of "patient-centered" services, and improve the ability to provide information services specific to the characteristics of patients.