Consensus methodology to investigate the crucial referral criteria to pharmacist-led counseling clinics in Makkah City.

Aim: Identifying and prioritizing criteria for referring patients to a counseling clinic managed by hospital pharmacists in the tertiary care setting in Saudi Arabia (SA). Method: A two-phase consensus Delphi methodological approach was adopted in this study. Data was collected from physicians and pharmacists from different specialties working in different hospitals in Makkah City. In Phase 1, semi-structured interviews were conducted with physicians and pharmacists to discuss and develop the initial list of potential referral criteria for post-discharge counseling. Phase 2 consisted of two rounds of online surveys where participants were asked to independently rank the referral criteria using a 5-point Likert Scale. Results: In Phase 1, four participants undertook the interviews (two physicians and two pharmacists). Overall, no major comments were given on the suggested criteria. In Phase 2, most suggested referral criteria to the counseling clinic reached participants' consensus agreement of >70 % in both rounds for all three domains. Among all criteria that achieved consensus agreement, two demographic criteria were top-ranked by the participants; the elderly patients (100 %) and those who needed help with their devices (96 %). These were followed by five medication-related criteria, which are medication-related problems, polypharmacy, medication that needs monitoring, high-risk medication, and medication with special formulations. All had a consensus agreement of 96 %. Conclusion: This study suggests that a counseling clinic led by pharmacists is particularly advisable for the elderly, individuals requiring assistance with their devices, and those encountering medication issues. It is essential to prioritize specific patient demographics when contemplating the extensive establishment and integration of such clinics across various hospitals in SA.