Abstract
Multiple terms and definitions exist to describe specific aspects of pharmacy practice and service provision. This commentary explores the reasons for different interpretations of words and concepts in pharmaceutical care and pharmacy practice research. Reasons for this variation can be found in language, culture, profession and may also depend on developments over time. A list of words is provided where the authors think that currently multiple interpretations are possible. To make sure that the reader understands the essence, it seems imperative that authors include a definition of the topics that they actually study in their papers, and that they clearly cite existing definitions or refer to collections of definitions such as existing glossaries. It is important that presenters, authors and reviewers of pharmacy practice papers pay more attention to this aspect of describing studies.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Moullin JC, Sabater-Hernàndez D, Fernandez-Llimos F, Benrimoj SI. Defining professional pharmacy services in community pharmacy. Res Soc Admin Pharm. 2013;9(6):989–95.
WHO. Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19–22 June 1946, and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
Üstün B, Jakob R. Calling a spade a spade: meaningful definitions of health conditions. Bull World Health Organ. 2005;83:802.
Awofeso N. Re-defining health. http://www.who.int/bulletin/bulletin_board/83/ustun11051/en/. Last Accessed 26 Dec 2015.
Charter professionalism of the pharmacist. KNMP, the Hague, 2012. https://www.knmp.nl/praktijkvoering/professionaliteit/handvest-van-de-apotheker-1/charter-professionalism-of-the-pharmacist/at_download/file_1. Last Accessed 20 Dec 2015.
van Mil JWF, McElnay JC, de Jong-van den Berg LTW, Tromp TFJ. The challenges of defining pharmaceutical care on an international level. Int J Pharm Pract. 1999;7:202–8.
Farris KB, Kirking DM. Assessing the quality of pharmaceutical care. II. Application of concepts of quality assessment from medical care. Ann Pharmacother. 1993;27(2):215–23.
Bungay KM, Wagner AK. Assessing the quality of pharmaceutical care [letter; comment]. Ann Pharmacother. 1993;27(12):1542–3.
Pharmaceutisch Weekblad-Nieuws. UMCG participeert in apotheek aan A15 [UMCG participates in pharmacy aling the A15]. 20-2-2015 http://www.pw.nl/nieuws/nieuwsberichten/2015/umcg-participeert-in-apotheek-a15. Last Accesses 26 Dec 2015.
Martins SA, van Mil JWF, F Alves da Costa. The organizational framework of community pharmacies in Europe. Int J Clin Pharm. 2015;37(5):896–905.
Hughes CM, et al. Provision of pharmaceutical care by community pharmacists: a comparison across Europe. Pharm World Sci. 2010;32:472–87.
Tan EC, Stewart K, Elliot RA. J George Pharmacist services provided in general practice clinics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Res Soc Adm Pharm. 2014;10:608–22.
Van Mil JWF. Pharmaceutical care, the future of pharmacy [Dissertation]. Groningen, Groningen University, 1999. Chapter 8: the chances for pharmaceutical care. p. 152–153.
European Union of Medical Specialities. http://www.uems.eu/about-us/presentation. Last Accessed 16 Mar 2016.
Rotta I, Salgado TM, Felix DC, Souza TT, Correr CJ, Fernandez-Llimos F. Ensuring consistent reporting of clinical pharmacy services to enhance reproducibility in practice: an improved version of DEPICT. J Eval Clin Pract. 2015;21:584–90. doi:10.1111/jep.12339.
Mikael RL, Brown TR, Lazarus HL, Vinson MC. Quality of pharmaceutical care in hospitals. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1975;32:567–74.
Allemann SS, van Mil JW, Botermann L, Berger K, Griese N, Hersberger KE. Pharmaceutical care: the PCNE definition 2013. Int J Clin Pharm. 2014;6(3):544–55.
Vrijens B, De Geest S, Hughes DA, Przemyslaw K, Demonceau J, Ruppar T, et al. A new taxonomy for describing and defining adherence to medications. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2012;73(5):691–705.
Buetow SA, Sibbald B, Cantrill JA, Halliwell S. Appropriateness in health care: application to prescribing. Soc Sci Med. 1997;45(2):261–71.
van Mil JW, Franklin BD. Defining clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical care. Pharm World Sci. 2005;27(3):137.
ACCP. The definition of clinical pharmacy. Pharmacotherapy. 2008;28(6):816–7.
NHS Choices. Counselling. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Counselling/Pages/Introduction.aspx. Last Accessed 14 Jan 2016.
Basger BJ, Moles RJ, Chen TF. Application of drug-related problem (DRP) classification systems: a review of the literature. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2014;70(7):799–815.
Bulajeva A, Labberton L, Leikola S, Pohjanoksa-Mantilla M, Geurts MME, de Gier JJ, et al. Medication review practices in European countries. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2014;10(5):731–40.
van Mil JW, Fernandez-Llimos F. What is ‘pharmaceutical care’ in 2013? Int J Clin Pharm. 2013;35(1):1–2.
Pintor-Mármol A, Baena MI, Fajardo PC, Sabater-Hernández D, Sáez-Benito L, García-Cárdenas MV, et al. Terms used in patient safety related to medication: a literature review. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2012;21(8):799–809.
International Pharmaceutical Federation. FIP and patient safety glossary of terms. http://www.fip.org/files/fip/FIP%20and%20PATIENT%20SAFETY%20GLOSSARY%20for%20web.pdf. Last Accessed 14 Jan 2016.
Funding
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflicts of interest
None.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van Mil, J.W.F., Henman, M. Terminology, the importance of defining. Int J Clin Pharm 38, 709–713 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0294-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0294-5