First Year's Experience with the Florida Pharmacist Self-Care Consultant Law: The Pharmacist Perspective

This study examines the attitudes and self-reported prescribing activities of a sample of Florida pharmacists interviewed 6 months and 12 months after enactment of the Florida Pharmacist Self-Care Consultant Law. This law granted a limited, independent prescribing authority to Florida pharmacists. About one-third of Florida pharmacists have prescribed some medications under the provisions of this law. However, the number of prescriptions written has leveled off from Phase 1 to Phase 2 interviews. The main pharmacist variables related to prescribing werc personal enthusiasm for filling this role and age (younger pharmacists were more likely to prescribe than older pharmacists). Prescribers do perceive that the law has had a positive effect on their relationships with patients. They also estimate that the law has resulted in increased requests from patients for advice on OTC products and general health issues. The perceptions of both prescribers and nonprescribers is that the law has not affected their relationships with physicians. In addition, there was no difference between prescribers' and nonprescribers' estimates of the effects of the law on the number of referrals they make to physicians.