Spatial analysis of disparities in asthma treatment among adult asthmatics

Evaluation of the Care Pathway in the Context of the Dispensing of Emicizumab (Hemlibra) in Community Pharmacies in France: Protocol for a Cross-sectional Study Based on the Kirkpatrick Model

BACKGROUND

Commercialized since 2019, emicizumab (Hemlibra) was available only in French hospital pharmacies for prophylaxis of hemophilia A with or without inhibitors. Since June 15, 2021, patients can choose between a hospital and community pharmacy. These changes in the care pathway have important organizational consequences for patients, their relatives, and health professionals. Two training programs are available for community pharmacists: the "HEMOPHAR" training program proposed by the national reference center for hemophilia and the Roche training program proposed by the laboratory that markets the product.

OBJECTIVE

The PASODOBLEDEMI study aims to evaluate the direct impact of the training programs provided to community pharmacists in the context of the dispensing of emicizumab, and to evaluate patients' satisfaction with their treatment whether they choose dispensation from a community pharmacy or retained dispensation from the hospital pharmacy.

METHODS

We designed a cross-sectional study based on the 4-level Kirkpatrick evaluation model: the immediate reaction of community pharmacists following training (Reaction), the knowledge acquired during the training (Learning), the professional practice of community pharmacists during dispensing of the product (Behavior), and patients' satisfaction related to the treatment whether it is dispensed from a hospital or from a community pharmacy (Results).

RESULTS

Considering that single outcome measures cannot adequately reflect the complexity of this new organization, the Kirkpatrick evaluation model provides 4 distinct outcomes: the immediate reaction after the HEMOPHAR training program, the level of knowledge acquired after the HEMOPHAR training program, the impact of training on professional practice, and patient satisfaction with access to emicizumab. We developed specialized questionnaires for each of the 4 levels of the Kirkpatrick evaluation model. All community pharmacists involved in dispensing emicizumab, whether they have followed the HEMOPHAR or the Roche training program or neither, were eligible for inclusion. All patients with severe hemophilia A were eligible, irrespective of inhibitor use, age, treatment with emicizumab, and whether they chose dispensation from a community pharmacy or retained dispensation from a hospital pharmacy.

CONCLUSIONS

The new organization for dispensing emicizumab to patients with hemophilia A in French community pharmacies must be accompanied by optimal safety and quality conditions due to the risk of serious and urgent bleeding situations in the management of rare bleeding diseases. The elaboration of the PASODOBLEDEMI protocol has already a positive impact with the commitment of all health professionals, physicians, hospital and community pharmacists, and the patient community. The results will be disseminated among the French authorities and will enable, if necessary, proposing this access model to other rare diseases.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05449197, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05449197?term=NCT05449197; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05450640, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05450640?term=NCT05450640.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/43091.

PHAREO study: Perceived and observed accessibility to therapeutic drugs used for treating patients with inherited bleeding disorders

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

The dispensing of clotting factor concentrates in hospital pharmacies imposes accessibility constraints on patients and their caregivers, thereby increasing the disease burden. Very few studies have addressed these issues so far in terms of individual perceptions and actual difficulties. The PHAREO study aims to report patient's perception of treatment accessibility and evaluate spatial accessibility.

METHODS

The PHAREO study is an observational survey based on a questionnaire specifically designed for the study purpose in collaboration with patients' representatives in the second demographic and economic French region.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We collected 293 responses (participation rate of 64.1%) which show that 89.8% of respondents were either very or rather satisfied with regard to access to treatment. However, respondents reported difficulties in accessing the hospital pharmacy. The data also showed that 79.2% of respondents tended to over-estimate travel time which was reported above their acceptable threshold for 39.2% of them. The main determinants of dissatisfaction were parental burden (OR 2.5 [1.3; 4.8], p = 0.008) and waiting time at the hospital pharmacy (OR 1.5 [1.1;2.0], p = 0.016, per 10 min increase).

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

The PHAREO study provides subjective and objective data regarding satisfaction levels of persons with haemophilia and other coagulation deficiencies, with a high representativeness rate for patients on prophylaxis (87.5%). Both respondents and hospital pharmacists pled for an evolution of the current dispensing circuit to improve access to treatment and reduce the burden for patients. Currently, the community pharmacists are apart from the dispensing circuit. The authors propose improvements in the pathway of care for patients and their caregivers by including the community pharmacists alongside the hospital pharmacists in a centralized coordination scheme.