PGEU promotes pharmacists’ help with adherence problems
Including community pharmacists in multidisciplinary care teams can help patients who have problems adhering to therapy, according to a new policy document from the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union.
The document, presented to the European Parliament earlier this month,
says: “Pharmacists’ direct and frequent contact with the
patient, their easy availability and their unique expertise in medicines
put them in a key position … to provide an effective contribution
to any intervention intended to promote patients’ adherence to
therapies with the ultimate goal of improving patient health outcomes.”
On long-term conditions, the document points out that pharmacists need
to be able to present the benefits and risks of medicines in such a way
that patients can make informed decisions and be encouraged to take their
medicines appropriately. It adds that appropriate training of pharmacists
is needed to ensure that pharmacy specialised services are implemented
to their full potential.
“Targeting adherence: improving patient outcomes in Europe through
community pharmacists’ intervention” can be downloaded from
the PGEU website.
(PDF 10 MB)
See also Interview
(Colette McCreedy) p657
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