The current status, dilemmas and recommendations regarding clinical pharmacists' participation in inpatient pharmaceutical care under the pharmaceutical care fee policy — a qualitative study

The current status, dilemmas and recommendations regarding clinical pharmacists' participation in inpatient pharmaceutical care under the pharmaceutical care fee policy — a qualitative study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The current status, dilemmas and recommendations regarding clinical pharmacists' participation in inpatient pharmaceutical care under the pharmaceutical care fee policy — a qualitative study Xiaoyan Wang, Liangping Yu, Jingyu Wu, Xiaojia Huang, Xiying Lin, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9416386/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background : China has recently implemented pharmaceutical care fee policies to promote the transformation of pharmacy services. Fujian Province has taken the lead in piloting inpatient pharmaceutical care charging. However,clinical pharmacists’ practical status and specific dilemmas inadequately explored, which hinders the optimization of pharmaceutical care services. This study aims to explore clinical pharmacists’ status, practical dilemmas, and corresponding recommendations to support the sustainable development of inpatient pharmaceutical care. Methods : A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 12 clinical pharmacists from tertiary public hospitals in Fujian Province. Interview data were organised and analysed using thematic analysis. Results : Three core themes and 14 subthemes were identified. Clinical pharmacists generally held positive perceptions of the fee policy, but faced multiple practical dilemmas, including multiple-role conflicts, insufficient human resources, lack of standardized service specifications, inadequate professional competence, insufficient performance incentives, and difficulties in professional title promotion. To address these issues, pharmacists proposed four key improvements: optimize personnel allocation, support for professional development, incentive support, and collaboration with hospitals and clinical departments. Conclusions : Although the inpatient pharmaceutical care fee policy has been gradually implemented in China, clinical pharmacists continue to face substantial practical dilemmas. The recommendations from this study can provide practical guidance to promote the development of inpatient pharmaceutical care. inpatient pharmaceutical care pharmaceutical care fee policy clinical pharmacists Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 16 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 12 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 29 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 23 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 22 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 22 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9416386","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":635310901,"identity":"5a5598f8-db52-4385-bf98-2856a944af54","order_by":0,"name":"Xiaoyan Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xiaoyan","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":635310902,"identity":"9f9b2311-ecba-49bb-87bb-92ee97d8ef70","order_by":1,"name":"Liangping Yu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen 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pharmaceutical care under the pharmaceutical care fee policy — a qualitative study","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-health-services-research","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bhsr","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Health Services Research](http://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/BHSR/default.aspx","title":"BMC Health Services Research","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"inpatient pharmaceutical care, pharmaceutical care fee policy, clinical pharmacists","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9416386/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9416386/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground \u003c/strong\u003e: China has recently implemented pharmaceutical care fee policies to promote the transformation of pharmacy services. Fujian Province has taken the lead in piloting inpatient pharmaceutical care charging. However,clinical pharmacists’ practical status and specific dilemmas inadequately explored, which hinders the optimization of pharmaceutical care services. This study aims to explore clinical pharmacists’ status, practical dilemmas, and corresponding recommendations to support the sustainable development of inpatient pharmaceutical care.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods \u003c/strong\u003e: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 12 clinical pharmacists from tertiary public hospitals in Fujian Province. Interview data were organised and analysed using thematic analysis.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults \u003c/strong\u003e: Three core themes and 14 subthemes were identified. Clinical pharmacists generally held positive perceptions of the fee policy, but faced multiple practical dilemmas, including multiple-role conflicts, insufficient human resources, lack of standardized service specifications, inadequate professional competence, insufficient performance incentives, and difficulties in professional title promotion. To address these issues, pharmacists proposed four key improvements: optimize personnel allocation, support for professional development, incentive support, and collaboration with hospitals and clinical departments.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusions \u003c/strong\u003e: Although the inpatient pharmaceutical care fee policy has been gradually implemented in China, clinical pharmacists continue to face substantial practical dilemmas. The recommendations from this study can provide practical guidance to promote the development of inpatient pharmaceutical care.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The current status, dilemmas and recommendations regarding clinical pharmacists' participation in inpatient pharmaceutical care under the pharmaceutical care fee policy — a qualitative study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-07 19:10:47","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9416386/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-16T14:49:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-12T23:07:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"55265276906276712469634474934885095733","date":"2026-05-06T08:08:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"101489007935488202892375017408357941377","date":"2026-05-03T09:20:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-29T05:24:53+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-23T12:23:53+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-22T08:33:16+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Health Services Research","date":"2026-04-22T08:15:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-health-services-research","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bhsr","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Health Services Research](http://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/BHSR/default.aspx","title":"BMC Health Services Research","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c4049306-18dc-4620-b476-66fc1fe88631","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 7th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-16T14:49:03+00:00","index":49,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-12T23:07:41+00:00","index":48,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"55265276906276712469634474934885095733","date":"2026-05-06T08:08:37+00:00","index":47,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"101489007935488202892375017408357941377","date":"2026-05-03T09:20:13+00:00","index":44,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-07T19:10:48+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-07 19:10:47","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9416386","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9416386","identity":"rs-9416386","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}