community pharmacy services; health policy; health services accessibility; interprofessional relations; medication therapy management; pharmaceutical services; surveys and questionnaires; Pharmacology; Pharmacology (medical)
Abstract :
[en] [en] INTRODUCTION: Medication Review Type 2a (MR2a), introduced to enhance medication use and health outcomes, has been reimbursed in Belgian community pharmacies since April 2023; however, its implementation status remains unreported.
AIM: This longitudinal survey study aimed to document MR2a implementation among community pharmacists by identifying both facilitating and hindering factors.
METHODS: A bilingual online survey was distributed quarterly from October 2023 to October 2024 to all Belgian community pharmacies. The 45-item questionnaire-featuring multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions-captured pharmacists' experiences about MR2a.
RESULTS: Across all rounds (n = 708), consistent findings emerged regarding key barriers and facilitators to MR2a implementation. Major challenges included time limitations, privacy-compliant communication systems, personnel shortages, inadequate consultation spaces and poor collaboration with general practitioners. Training and patient engagement were identified as key facilitators, yet ongoing stakeholder support was considered essential to ensure successful MR2a implementation.
CONCLUSION: Repeated surveys offer timely insights into MR2a implementation in community pharmacies. The slow progress confirms existing obstacles and stresses the importance of continued support and improved interprofessional collaborations. These insights are expected to inform MR implementation locally and internationally.
Disciplines :
Pharmacy, pharmacology & toxicology
Author, co-author :
Tobback, Eline; Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium
De Wulf, Isabelle; Association of Pharmacists Belgium (APB), Antwerp, Belgium
Wauters, Ella; Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium
Mendez Santos, Delia; Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium
Patris, Stéphanie; Clinical Pharmacy Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Mons (UMONS), Mons, Belgium
Dalleur, Olivia; Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacoepidemiology Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium ; Pharmacy Department, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
Tommelein, Eline; Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium
Foulon, Veerle; Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Philippe, Geneviève ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de pharmacie > Pratiques officinales et soins pharmaceutiques
De Vriese, Carine; Service de Pharmacologie, Pharmacothérapie et Suivi Pharmaceutique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
Duquet, Nathalie; Association of Pharmacists Belgium (APB), Antwerp, Belgium
De Meyer, Guido R Y; Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium ; Infla-Med Research Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
De Loof, Hans; Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium ; Infla-Med Research Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
We would like to thank all participating pharmacists across Belgium for their valuable contribution. We gratefully acknowledge the support of APB, the local pharmacy associations and all Belgian universities for their collaboration and assistance in distributing the online survey.
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