Colaboración farmacéutico-médico en la elaboración de protocolos consensuados para el tratamiento de síntomas menores: programa ‘INDICA+PRO’

espanolIntroduccion: la colaboracion entre medicos y farmaceuticos es necesaria en el manejo de los sintomas menores, ya que el paciente acude a ambos profesionales sanitarios para su tratamiento. El objetivo del estudio fue elaborar protocolos de trabajo consensuados entre farmaceuticos comunitarios y medicos de atencion primaria para el Servicio de Indicacion Farmaceutica (SIF). Material y metodo: se utilizaron dos metodologias: revision bibliografica y grupo de expertos para el consenso. Estos protocolos se actualizaron y disenaron a partir de un documento previo de 2008. En el grupo de expertos se incluyeron cuatro farmaceuticos comunitarios de SEFAC (2), MICOF (2) y cuatro medicos de atencion primaria de semFYC (2) y SEMERGEN (2). Resultados: se consensuaron protocolos de trabajo para 31 sintomas menores distribuidos en cinco grupos: respiratorios, dolor moderado, digestivos, dermatologicos y otros. Se anadieron cinco sintomas nuevos al documento de partida. Respecto a la estructura de cada sintoma se considero: concepto, causas mas frecuentes, criterios de derivacion al medico (edad, sintomas de alarma, duracion de los sintomas, otros problemas de salud y/o medicamentos y situaciones especiales), recomendaciones para la prevencion y tratamiento (no farmacologico y farmacologico). Conclusion: el documento desarrollado mediante colaboracion entre profesionales de la medicina y la farmacia es una herramienta que contribuye a la mejora de la actuacion del farmaceutico en el manejo de los sintomas menores desde la farmacia comunitaria, con enfasis en la definicion de indicadores que senalan la necesidad de derivar el paciente al medico de atencion primaria. EnglishBackground: To increase the collaboration between community pharmacists and medical practitioners working in primary care it is critical to have collaborative protocols in place. Minor ailments could be a good example where this collaboration would benefit patient care as patients are seeking treatment in both settings. These collaborative protocols would assist in diminishing the variability of treatments in both settings. The aim of the study was to develop care protocols for minor ailments agreed between medical practitioners and pharmacists. Methods: Two different methodologies were used to arrive at a consensus for the protocols: literature review and expert group. Some of the clinical protocols were updated from a previous document created in 2008. Expert group was composed of four community pharmacists (SEFAC, MICOF) and four medical practitioners (SemFyC y Semergen). Results: Thirty-one protocols for minor ailments were agreed and allocated to five groups (five new minor ailments protocols were added: respiratory tract-related conditions, gastrointestinal disturbance, pain, dermatological problems and others. Protocols were structured following: definition, more frequent causes, referral criteria (patient’s age, red flags, symptom’s duration, patient’s health problems and treatments and physiological situations), recommendations for management (prevention, non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment) and references used. Conclusions: Clinical protocols agreed between health professionals of medicine and pharmacy are a tool that contribute to better management of minor ailments in community pharmacy.