Full integration adds value to patient-centered clinical pharmacy services, but not to disease-specific clinical pharmacy services. To obtain maximum benefits of clinical pharmacy services for patients with multiple medications and comorbidities, full integration of non-dispensing pharmacists should be promoted.
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One year since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid response measures have been implemented internationally to mitigate the spread of the virus. Following rapid and successful pre-clinical and human trials, several vaccines have been authorised for use across Europe through
the European Medicines Agency and national regulatory authorities. Clinical trials have shown promising results including important reductions in disease severity, hospitalisation and mortality. In order to maximise the public health benefit of available vaccines, there is a pressing need to vaccinate a large proportion of the population. Internationally, this has prompted coordination of existing services at enormous scale, and development and implementation of novel vaccination strategies to ensure maximum inoculation over the shortest possible timeframe. Pharmacists are being promoted as healthcare professionals that enhance roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination programmes. This paper aims to summarise current policy and practice in relation to pharmacists’ involvement in COVID-19 vaccination in 13 countries across Europe.
To evaluate the effect of non-dispensing pharmacists (NDPs) integrated in general practice on medication-related hospitalisations, drug burden index and costs in patients at high risk of medication problems (being 65 years or older and using 5 or more chronic medications). Methods: This was a multicentre, nonrandomised, controlled intervention study with pre-post comparison (2013 vs June 2014 to May 2015) in 25 general practices in the Netherlands, comparing NDP-led care (intervention) with 2 current pharmaceutical care models (usual care and usual care plus). In the intervention group, 10 specially trained NDPs were employed in general practices to take integral responsibility for the pharmaceutical care. They provided a broad range of medication therapy management services both on patient level (e.g. clinical medication review) and practice level (e.g. quality improvement projects). In the control groups, pharmaceutical care was provided as usual by general practitioners and community pharmacists, or as usual plus, when pharmacists were additionally trained in performing medication reviews. Results: Overall, 822 medication-related hospitalisations were identified among 11 281 high-risk patients during the intervention period. After adjustment for clustering and potential confounders, the rate ratio of medication-related hospitalisations in the intervention group compared to usual care was 0.68 (95% confidence interval: 0.57-0.82) and 1.05 (95% confidence interval: 0.73-1.52) compared to usual care plus. No differences in drug burden index or costs were found. Conclusions: In general practices with an integrated NDP, the rate of medicationrelated hospitalisations is lower compared to usual care. No differences with usual care plus were found.
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