1. Evaluation of the Community Pharmacy Comorbidities Screening Service on Patients with Chronic Diseases
- Author
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Lewicki J, Religioni U, and Merks P
- Subjects
pharmaceutical care pilot study ,pharmaceutical care ,pharmaceutical service ,implementation ,screening tests ,chronic diseases ,Medicine (General) ,R5-920 - Abstract
Jędrzej Lewicki,1 Urszula Religioni,2 Piotr Merks3 1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland; 2Collegium of Business Administration, Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw, Poland; 3Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, Warsaw, PolandCorrespondence: Piotr MerksFaculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1, Warsaw, 01-938, PolandEmail piotrmerks@googlemail.comObjective: Evaluation of the implementation of pharmaceutical services to detect comorbidities in at-risk patients.Methods: This study was carried out in community pharmacies across Poland in 2019 inside the specially designed service “Refer the Patient”. The project was intended for patients with selected chronic diseases. The patients were identified on the basis of their medications (active substances). At-risk patients were referred for prophylactic examinations to detect comorbidities.Results: A total of 78 pharmacies took part in this study and 209 at-risk patients were identified. Out of the patients referred for examinations, 30% had deviant results, and 0.95% were diagnosed with new diseases.Conclusion: Pharmaceutical services supporting screening tests among at-risk patients are highly recommended. Pharmacist intervention allows for early detection of comorbidities and prompt treatment. The pharmaceutical service “Refer the Patient” makes it possible to detect a disease at an early stage. Rapid implementation of treatment can prevent serious health consequences, maintains patient quality of life, and reduce treatment costs.Keywords: pharmaceutical care pilot study, pharmaceutical care, pharmaceutical service, implementation, screening tests, chronic diseases
- Published
- 2021