Factors Facilitating and Hindering Development of a Medication Use Review Service in Eastern Europe and Iran-Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study

Abstract

Polypharmacy is a common issue in patients with chronic diseases. Eastern-European countries and Iran are exploring possibilities for implementing the Medication Use Review (MUR) as a measure for optimizing medication use and ensuring medication safety in polypharmacy patients. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the development of the community pharmacy sector and map facilitators and barriers of MUR in Eastern Europe and Iran. The representatives of the framework countries received a questionnaire on community pharmacy sector indicators, current and future developments of pharmacies, and factors encouraging and hindering MUR. To answer the questionnaire, all representatives performed document analysis, literature review, and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders. The socio-ecological model was used for inductive thematic analysis of the identified factors. Current community pharmacist competencies in framework countries were more related to traditional pharmacy services. Main facilitators of MUR were increase in polypharmacy and pharmaceutical waste, and access to patients’ electronic list of medications by pharmacists. Main barriers included the service being unfamiliar, lack of funding and private consultation areas. Pharmacists in the framework countries are well-placed to provide MUR, however, the service needs more introduction and barriers mostly on organizational and public policy levels must be addressed.

Reimbursed medication adherence enhancing interventions in 12 european countries: Current state of the art and future challenges

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Evaluation of medication safety assessment tools for pharmacist-led medication reviews: the Eastern European pilot project

“…Due to an aging population, polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing are expected to rise in the Eastern European region. While there are barriers at the healthcare policy and organizational levels, community pharmacists are well placed and willing to offer MRs to promote the rational use of medicines and benefit patients (Tuula et al, 2021;Merks et al, 2022;Paidere et al, 2023).…”

Medication use review: does it have a future and potential in Latvia? The opinion of pharmacists after the pilot project

“…It was part of the MUR pilot project in 11 Eastern European countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia), and Iran. The aim of this project was to acknowledge opportunities to advance the MUR service [ 5 ].…”