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Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Abstract

Introduction: Athletes have unique pharmaceutical needs due to injury risk, supplement use, and anti-doping regulations. Despite this, pharmacists remain underutilized in sports medicine. This quality improvement project evaluated clinician and staff perceptions of clinical sports pharmacists at Baptist Health, a large healthcare system in South Florida.

Methods: A 12-question REDCap survey was distributed to 19 staff and clinicians— including physicians, athletic trainers, and medical assistants—across five Baptist Health Orthopedic and Sports Medicine clinics. Responses were measured using a Likert scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results: The survey achieved a 100% response rate. Most participants had over five years of clinical experience. Respondents strongly supported integrating a sports pharmacist into the healthcare team. High levels of agreement were reported for the pharmacist’s value (89.4%), expertise in medication management (94.8%), knowledge of anti-doping policies (94.7%), and effectiveness in educating athletes (89.4%). Qualitative comments emphasized the pharmacist's impact on treatment optimization and interprofessional collaboration.

Discussion: Findings indicate overwhelmingly positive perceptions of clinical sports pharmacists in sports medicine settings. Respondents acknowledged pharmacists'’ contributions to medication safety, supplement education, and wellness guidance. Limitations include small sample size and potential selection bias. Future research should explore expanding the pharmacist’s role in managing athlete-specific conditions, improving recovery protocols, and enhancing care coordination. This quality improvement project supports the growing value of pharmacist integration in sports medicine teams and encourages the expansion of pharmacist-led clinical services.

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