The outcomes of pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care within community pharmacies: An overview of systematic reviews

Background
Community pharmacists' practice has shifted from product-oriented to patient-oriented in recent decades with the goal of achieving the optimal use of medications while enhancing the patient's quality of life. The impact of pharmaceutical care services provided by community pharmacists is yet to be determined.
Objective
This study aimed to summarize the findings from secondary literature on pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care interventions and their impact on clinical, economic, humanistic, and behavioral outcomes of patients attending community pharmacies.
Methods
An overview of systematic reviews, with or without meta-analysis, was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases. Articles published up until October 2023 were identified. The following data were extracted: eligible study details, the country in which the study was conducted, year, population, interventions, and resulting outcomes.
Results
Out of 310 publications, 90 full-text articles were evaluated for eligibility, and 29 studies that evaluated the impact of pharmacy services provided within the community pharmacies were selected. The articles covered patients with or without health conditions. Interventions were diverse, focusing on a patient-centered approach, varying between collaborating with other healthcare professionals to achieve desired health outcomes or collaborating with patients through education and counseling and promoting healthier lifestyles. Improving patients’ medication adherence and understanding of their conditions resulted in better clinical and behavioral outcomes. While evidence on economic and humanistic outcomes is less conclusive, some studies suggest that these services can lead to cost savings, improved quality of life, and patient satisfaction.
Conclusion
Pharmacy services provided by community pharmacists can lead to an improvement in clinical and behavioral outcomes. While there is some evidence indicating benefits in economic and humanistic outcomes, this evidence is less consistent and should be interpreted cautiously. This umbrella review highlights the importance of further research to strengthen the evidence base and guide the integration of pharmacy services into healthcare systems worldwide, supporting the shift to a patient-centered approach.