Quality indicators of pharmacists' services in community pharmacies in Paraná State, Brazil

Abstract

Pharmacists and their pharmacies have been evolving in their roles as health promoters in Brazil. Some examples are the recent legislation reaffirming the role of Brazilian pharmacies as health institutions, rather than having only a commercial profile, giving greater clarity to pharmacists about their roles as health care providers. This evolution came with the recognition that is already seen in other developed countries, confirming the need for the pharmacist as a health promoter, and not simply a dispenser of drugs in society. This study has obtained the profile and activities of community pharmacists, as well as the quality indicators of private community pharmacies throughout the State of Paraná through the application of an online survey sent to pharmacists in the state. Out of all pharmacists surveyed, 533 were part of the final analysis, being the pharmacists to complete the survey in full. Participants were mostly female (69.4%) and were, on average, 35.2 ± 9.2 years old. Of these, 60% worked in pharmacy chains and just 37% of all pharmacist respondents were issuing the Declaration of Pharmaceutical Services. The current study showed that many pharmaceutical services are not adopted by pharmacies as these services bring no significant financial reward. Regarding the structure, the Paraná State showed that pharmacies present a good overall structure. The kind of pharmacy (chain or independent) influenced the pharmaceutical services provided and the available structure, where the independent pharmacies provide a wider range of services and have better structure. This study was able to identify the profile and behaviors of pharmacists and also the quality indicators of pharmacies in Paraná State.Uniterms: Pharmaceutical care. Pharmacists/professional practice. Community pharmacy/structure indicators/Paraná State, Brazil. INTRODUCTIONThe pharmaceutical profession has undergone important changes in the last few decades in Brazil, especially in relation to community pharmacies, with changing roles and a focus on providing clinical services to patients.The pharmacy, as commercial establishment, has evolved significantly (França Filho et al., 2008;Silva, Vieira, 2004), with regulatory advancements such as the publication of law 13.021/14, which inverts the profit oriented logic, by defining the pharmacy as a health care entity geared toward providing a pharmaceutical service, and technical and clinical assistance, to promote the best health care for the patients Souza, 2012).The term service refers to a set of activities organized in a work process. In a broad definition, pharmaceutical services represent any particular service provided by pharmacists and they may be clinical or not. The pharmaceutical care includes a wide range of clinical services, ranging from the benchmarks to pharmacotherapeutic monitoring itself. Recently, in order to clarify definitions and guide professional activity, the which regulate the attributions of clinical pharmacists and of pharmaceutical prescription.The importance of phar...

Developing a quality framework for community pharmacy: a systematic review of international literature

“…Most of the studies were from the UK (n=15), 15 26–30 42 54 56 65 77 90 100 106 111 USA (n=11) 41 47 51 53 64 66 68 72 81 88 98 and Australia (n=7). 45 46 49 52 59 83 113 Of the remaining studies, four each were from Japan, 57 61 62 79 the Netherlands 55 102–104 and Thailand 67 69 95 105 ; three each from Germany, 58 75 108 Estonia, 71 78 115 Iran 48 76 84 and Vietnam 93 96 97 and two each were from Lebanon, 112 114 UAE, 60 86 Brazil 107 110 and Spain. 63 73 One each from Canada, 74 Finland, 99 New Zealand, 43 Lithuania, 44 Malaysia, 87 Poland, 91 Slovenia, 80 Serbia, 70 Sudan, 94 Nigeria, 109 Iraq, 92 Pakistan 89 and China.…”

“…Thirteen studies reported the development or assessment of quality indicators for CPs. [99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111] Four studies described and defined standards or guidelines for good pharmacy practice which can be used to help define quality. [112][113][114][115] Multiple methods were used including: surveys (n=46), 26 114 115 qualitative interviews (n=9), 15 30 45 49 61 69 70 73 83 focus groups, 27 53 63 77 premeasurement and postmeasurement of adherence to standards, 113 biographic and photographic techniques, 42 participant observations, 51 nominal group technique, 43 applying indicators in practice, 103 104 Q-methodology, 96 97 stakeholder event, 112 deductive content analysis, 71 patient stories 65 and mixed methods (n=4).…”

Implementation of clinical pharmacy services using problematization with Maguerez Arc: A quasi‐experimental before‐after study

“…We can infer that the modifications in the structure were the results of the political‐administrative interventions and had a positive influence on the work process, since the pharmacists began to have private areas in which to attend to patients, and consumables and technical procedures with which to perform CPS. These facts are reinforced by several studies that have demonstrated how the evaluation of the structure can predict the quality of services and how the structure can influence the development of the process and the achievement of favourable results by the health services 40,56,62,85‐89 . Thus, to obtain positive results in health services, health managers and professionals must have good structure and good process in the CPS implementation.…”

Patient safety in primary health care and polypharmacy: cross-sectional survey among patients with chronic diseases

“…According to the Guideline for Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of Adult Hypertension, PHC to the patient by pharmacists and others professionals should be share ( 2 ) . The importance of pharmaceutical services is recognized, that allowed patients with chronic conditions and polymedicated to have access to the pharmacotherapeutic follow up ( 7 ) . In this context, monitoring polypharmacy is a primary care practice that can contribute to reduce of side effects, as well as the risks of interactions, and improve adherence.…”

“…In Brazil, the pharmaceutical profession underwent important transformations, with a change of roles and focus on the provision of clinical services ( 7 ) . Regulatory advances defined the pharmacy as a health entity dedicated to providing a pharmaceutical service to promote better health care for patients ( 8 ) .…”