Creation and Implementation of a New Sentinel Surveillance Model in Pharmacy Offices in Southern Europe

Abstract

Traditionally, health sentinel networks have focused on the reporting of data by primary care physicians and hospitals, ignoring the role of the community pharmacist as an expert in drugs. The objective of this study was to describe a method for creating a network of sentinel pharmacies in a region of Southern Europe in order to have a pharmaceutical surveillance system that is representative of the territory to be monitored and that can respond to any events or incidents that can be followed up by the community pharmacy. The creation process was carried out in three phases: a first phase of selection through a cluster and population analysis and a final adjustment, a second phase of voluntariness and random selection, and a third phase of training and implementation of the network. A sentinel network of 75 community pharmacies has been established in Catalonia. The network monitors 2.47% of the total population with a homogeneous proportion of urban (42), rural (30), and mountain-area (3) pharmacies based on the particular characteristics of the territory. This model allows increased surveillance in the territory, objectively and representatively detects problems arising from the use of medicines, and establishes improvement strategies of public health.

Changes in prescription drug abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic evidenced in the Catalan pharmacies

“…There were 60 of them during the pre-COVID period and this number rose up to 75 for the COVID period. In both periods, selected pharmacies belonged to the Catalan sentinel pharmacy network (Catalan Sephanet) ( 25 ). The pharmacies are scattered throughout the region, based in 3 phases.…”

“…The main topics covered were the basis of the method and operational procedures coupled with a theoretical framework furnishing information about the phenomenon. The training sessions were performed regularly to resolve issues and clarify questions about screening procedures ( 24 , 25 ).…”

Detection and Prevention of Medication Errors by the Network of Sentinel Pharmacies in a Southern European Region

“…The Catalan SePhaNet, formed by 75 community pharmacies scattered throughout the region, was selected proportionally to a stratification of the population of Catalonia based on criteria of representativeness, ensuring a coverage of approximately 2.5% of the total population of Catalonia being monitored [9].…”

“…To this end, in Catalonia, a region of Southern Europe, a network of sentinel pharmacies (Catalan SePhaNet) has been created and promoted [9]. This network is a new sentinel surveillance model in pharmacy offices that has been integrated into health systems where a community pharmacist is able to participate in shared management scenarios.…”

“…The Catalan SePhaNet works in several lines of performance; one of them is in the detection, notification, and pharmacist intervention in cases of suspected ME. The network pharmacies run these activities in order to strengthen the existing voluntary notification system and verify if the actions in terms of prevention of MEs are useful, as well as to increase drug safety [9].…”