Association of family pharmacist continuity with patient-reported satisfaction in patients with metastatic cancer: a nationwide cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Patients with metastatic cancer face prognostic uncertainty and substantial psychological stress, requiring support for both physical and mental health. We examined the association of family pharmacist continuity with patient-reported satisfaction, and secondarily whether higher satisfaction is associated with greater treatment hope, in a nationwide sample in Japan. METHODS: A nationwide online survey was conducted on 481 participants in Japan who were in contact with a pharmacist and diagnosed with metastatic cancer. The participants were categorized into groups based on the continuity of contact with their family pharmacist before and after their primary cancer diagnosis. We assessed the association of family pharmacist continuity with patient-reported satisfaction using the MISS-21J, and examined the satisfaction–treatment hope association with Spearman’s rank correlation. RESULTS: The group with the same family pharmacist before and after the primary cancer diagnosis (Same) and the group in which the family pharmacist changed but remained involved before and after cancer diagnosis (Changed) showed significantly higher distress relief and rapport (a sense of mutual trust and understanding with the pharmacist) scores on the MISS-21J than the group without a family pharmacist from pre to post cancer diagnosis (None) (p < 0.001). Additionally, a strong correlation (rs = 0.740, p < 0.001) was observed between the MISS-21J total score and treatment hope score. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous pharmacist involvement with patients, regardless of the change in pharmacists before the primary cancer diagnosis, shows the potential to contribute to psychological support and improved treatment hope in patients with metastatic cancer. While causal inference cannot be made from this cross-sectional study, establishing a long-term support system by a family pharmacist may play an important role in promoting patient-centered cancer care.