scholarly journals Primary health care policy and vision for community pharmacy and pharmacists in Portugal

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 2043
Author(s):  
Nadine Ribeiro ◽  
Helder Mota-Filipe ◽  
Mara P. Guerreiro ◽  
Filipa A. Costa
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
National Health ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
Universal Coverage ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Clinical Records

The central role of the Portuguese National Health Service (P-NHS) guarantees virtually free universal coverage. Key policy papers, such as the National Health Plan and the National Plan for Patient Safety have implications for pharmacists, including an engagement in medicines reconciliation. These primary health care reform, while not explicitly contemplating a role for pharmacists, offer opportunities for the involvement of primary care pharmacists in medicines management. Primary care pharmacists, who as employees of the P-NHS work closely with an interdisciplinary team, have launched a pilot service to manage polypharmacy in people living with multimorbidities, involving potential referral to community pharmacy. Full integration of community pharmacy into primary health care is challenging due to their nature as private providers, which implies the need for the recognition that public and private health sectors are mutually complementary and may maximize universal health coverage. The scope of practice of community pharmacies has been shifting to service provision, currently supported by law and in some cases, including the needle and syringe exchange program and generic substitution, remunerated. Key changes envisaged for the future of pharmacists and their integration in primary care comprise the development and establishment of clinical pharmacy as a specialization area, peer clinician recognition and better integration in primary care teams, including full access to clinical records. These key changes would enable pharmacists to apply their competence in medicines optimization for improved patient outcomes.

scholarly journals The Future of Health Care: Protocol for Measuring the Potential of Task Automation Grounded in the National Health Service Primary Care System (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Willis ◽  
Paul Duckworth ◽  
Angela Coulter ◽  
Eric T Meyer ◽  
Michael Osborne
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The Future

BACKGROUND Recent advances in technology have reopened an old debate on which sectors will be most affected by automation. This debate is ill served by the current lack of detailed data on the exact capabilities of new machines and how they are influencing work. Although recent debates about the future of jobs have focused on whether they are at risk of automation, our research focuses on a more fine-grained and transparent method to model task automation and specifically focus on the domain of primary health care. OBJECTIVE This protocol describes a new wave of intelligent automation, focusing on the specific pressures faced by primary care within the National Health Service (NHS) in England. These pressures include staff shortages, increased service demand, and reduced budgets. A critical part of the problem we propose to address is a formal framework for measuring automation, which is lacking in the literature. The health care domain offers a further challenge in measuring automation because of a general lack of detailed, health care–specific occupation and task observational data to provide good insights on this misunderstood topic. METHODS This project utilizes a multimethod research design comprising two phases: a qualitative observational phase and a quantitative data analysis phase; each phase addresses one of the two project aims. Our first aim is to address the lack of task data by collecting high-quality, detailed task-specific data from UK primary health care practices. This phase employs ethnography, observation, interviews, document collection, and focus groups. The second aim is to propose a formal machine learning approach for probabilistic inference of task- and occupation-level automation to gain valuable insights. Sensitivity analysis is then used to present the occupational attributes that increase/decrease automatability most, which is vital for establishing effective training and staffing policy. RESULTS Our detailed fieldwork includes observing and documenting 16 unique occupations and performing over 130 tasks across six primary care centers. Preliminary results on the current state of automation and the potential for further automation in primary care are discussed. Our initial findings are that tasks are often shared amongst staff and can include convoluted workflows that often vary between practices. The single most used technology in primary health care is the desktop computer. In addition, we have conducted a large-scale survey of over 156 machine learning and robotics experts to assess what tasks are susceptible to automation, given the state-of-the-art technology available today. Further results and detailed analysis will be published toward the end of the project in early 2019. CONCLUSIONS We believe our analysis will identify many tasks currently performed manually within primary care that can be automated using currently available technology. Given the proper implementation of such automating technologies, we expect considerable staff resources to be saved, alleviating some pressures on the NHS primary care staff. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR DERR1-10.2196/11232

scholarly journals Measuring the quality of primary care in national health surveys: Lessons from Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erno Harzheim ◽  
Luiz F. Pinto ◽  
Otávio P. D'Avila ◽  
Lisiane Hauser
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
National Health ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Assessment

Background: South Africa started to lead the cross-culturally validation and use of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) in Africa, when Professor Bresick filled a gap, as this continent was until then the only one that had never used it in evaluation of primary health care facilities until 2015.Aim: The authors aim to demonstrate that after the consolidation of Bresick’s team to an African version of PCAT, it had been adapted to household survey in Brazil.Methods: In this letter, authors reflect on how Brazil had adapted PCAT to a national random household survey with Brazilian National Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) – the Brazilian Census Bureau.Results: In the the beginning of 2019, Brazilian Ministry of Health brought back the PCAT as the official national primary health care assessment tool. Brazilian National Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) included a new module (set of questions) in its National Health Survey (PNS-2019) and collected more than 100 000 households interviews in about 40% of the country’s municipalities. This module had 25 questions of the Brazilian validated version of the adult reduced PCAT.Conclusion: We believe that IBGE innovation with the Ministry of Health can encourage South Africa to establish a similar partnership with its National Institute of Statistics (Statistics South Africa) for the country to establish a baseline for future planning of primary health care, for decision-making based on scientific evidence.

scholarly journals Primary health care policy and vision for community pharmacy and pharmacists in Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 1967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Dineen-Griffin ◽  
Shalom I. Benrimoj ◽  
Victoria Garcia-Cardenas
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Primary Health

There is evidence that the Australian Government is embracing a more integrated approach to health, with implementation of initiatives like primary health networks (PHNs) and the Government’s Health Care Homes program. However, integration of community pharmacy into primary health care faces challenges, including the lack of realistic integration in PHNs, and in service and remuneration models from government. Ideally, coordinated multidisciplinary teams working collaboratively in the community setting are needed, where expanding skills are embraced rather than resisted. It appears that community pharmacy is not sufficiently represented at a local level. Current service remuneration models encourage a volume approach. While more complex services and clinical roles, with associated remuneration structures (such as, accredited pharmacists, pharmacists embedded in general practice and residential aged care facilities) promote follow up, collaboration and integration into primary health care, they potentially marginalize community pharmacies. Community pharmacists’ roles have evolved and are being recognized as the medication management experts of the health care team at a less complex level with the delivery of MedChecks, clinical interventions and medication adherence services. More recently, vaccination services have greatly expanded through community pharmacy. Policy documents from professional bodies highlight the need to extend pharmacy services and enhance integration within primary care. The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Pharmacists in 2023 report envisages pharmacists practising to full scope, driving greater efficiencies in the health system. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s future vision identifies community pharmacy as health hubs facilitating the provision of cost-effective and integrated health care services to patients. In 2019, the Australian Government announced the development of a Primary Health Care 10-Year Plan which will guide resource allocation for primary health care in Australia. At the same time, the Government has committed to conclude negotiations on the 7th Community Pharmacy Agreement (7CPA) with a focus on allowing pharmacists to practice to full scope and pledges to strengthen the role of primary care by better supporting pharmacists as primary health care providers. The 7CPA and the Government’s 10-year plan will largely shape the practice and viability of community pharmacy. It is essential that both provide a philosophical direction and prioritize integration, remuneration and resources which recognize the professional contribution and competencies of community pharmacy and community pharmacists, the financial implications of service roles and the retention of medicines-supply roles.

scholarly journals Primary health care policy and vision for community pharmacy and pharmacists in Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 2085
Author(s):  
Andi Hermansyah ◽  
Luh Wulandari ◽  
Susi A. Kristina ◽  
Sherly Meilianti
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Good Evidence ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care System

The practice of community pharmacy in low and middle-income countries, including in Indonesia, is often described as in the state of infancy with several intractable barriers that have been substantially and continuously hampering the practice. Such description might be valid in highlighting how pharmacy is practiced and the conditions within and beyond community pharmacy organizations. Therefore, it is not surprising that the concept of integrating community pharmacy into the primary care system may not be considered in the contemporary discourse despite the fact that community pharmacy has been operating within communities for years. However, in the case of Indonesia, we argue that changes in the health care system within the past decade particularly with the introduction of the universal health coverage (UHC) in 2014, may have significantly amplified the role of pharmacists. There is good evidence which highlights the contribution of pharmacist as a substantial health care element in primary care practice. The initiative for employing pharmacist, identified in this article as primary care pharmacist, in the setting of community health center [puskesmas] and the introduction of affiliated or contracted community pharmacy under the UHC have enabled pharmacist to work together with other primary care providers. Moreover, government agenda under the “Smart Use of Medicines” program [Gema Cermat] recognizes pharmacists as the agent of change for improving the rational use of medicines in the community. Community pharmacy is developing, albeit slowly, and is able to grasp a novel position to deliver pharmacy-related primary care services to the general public through new services, for example drug monitoring and home care. Nevertheless, integrating community pharmacy into primary care is relatively a new notion in the Indonesian setting, and is a challenging process given the presence of barriers in the macro, meso- and micro-level of practice.

scholarly journals Shoulder pain in primary care: frozen shoulder

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Cadogan ◽  
Khalid D. Mohammed
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Adhesive Capsulitis ◽  
Frozen Shoulder ◽  
Painful Condition ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Assessment ◽  
Clinical Records

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Frozen shoulder is a painful condition that follows a protracted clinical course. We aim to review the management of patients with a diagnosis of frozen shoulder who are referred for specialist orthopaedic evaluation against existing guidelines in primary care. ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEM Referrals and clinical records were reviewed for all patients referred for orthopaedic specialist assessment who received a specialist diagnosis of frozen shoulder. Diagnostic, investigation and management practices from a regional primary health care setting in New Zealand were compared with guideline-recommended management. RESULTS Eighty patients with frozen shoulder were referred for orthopaedic evaluation in the 13 month study period, mostly from general practice. Fifteen patients (19%) were identified as having a frozen shoulder in their medical referral. Most (99%) had received previous imaging. Seven patients (12%) had received guideline recommended treatment. STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT Education of all clinicians involved in patient management is important to ensure an understanding of the long natural history of frozen shoulder and provide reassurance that outcomes are generally excellent. HealthPathways now include more information regarding diagnosis, imaging and evidence-based management for frozen shoulder. LESSONS Frozen shoulder may be under-diagnosed among patients referred for orthopaedic review. Ultrasound imaging is commonly used and may identify occult and unrelated pathology in this age-group. When managed according to clinical guidelines, patients report significant clinical and functional improvement with most reporting 80% function compared with normal after 1 year. KEYWORDS Adhesive capsulitis; bursitis; injections; practice guideline; primary health care; ultrasound

scholarly journals Community pharmacy and primary health care in Sweden - at a crossroads

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 1927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Westerlund ◽  
Bertil Marklund
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Primary Care Services ◽  
Physical Care

The overall goal of Swedish health care is good health and equitable care for the whole population. The responsibility for health is shared by the central government, the regions, and the municipalities. Primary care accounts for approximately 20 percent of all expenditures on health care. About 16% of all physicians work in primary health. The regions have also employed a large number of clinical pharmacists, usually hospital-based, but many perform a variety of different primary care services, the most common of which is patient medication reviews. Swedish primary health care is at a crossroads facing extensive challenges, due to changes in demography and demanding financial conditions. These changes necessitate large transformations in health services and delivery. Current Government inquiries have primarily focused on two ways to meet the challenges; a shift towards more local care requiring a transfer of resources from hospital care, and a further development of structured digi-physical care, that is both digital (“online doctors”) and physical accessibility of care. While primary care at present is undergoing processes of change, community pharmacy has done so during the past decade since the re-regulation of the Swedish pharmacy market. A monopoly was replaced by a competitive system, where five pharmacy chains now share most of the market, a competition that has made community pharmacy very commercialized. A number of different, promising primary care services are being offered, but they are usually delivered on a small scale due to a lack of remuneration and philosophy of providers. Priority is given to sales and fast dispensing of prescriptions, often with a minimum of counseling. Reflecting primary health care, community pharmacy in Sweden is at a crossroads but currently has a golden opportunity to choose a route of collaboration with primary health care in its current transformation into more local and digi-physical care. A major challenge is that primary health care inquires, strategic plans, and national policy documents usually do not include community pharmacy as a partner. Hence, community pharmacy have to be proactive and seize this chance of changes in primary health policy and organization in order to become an important link in the chain of health care delivery, or there is a significant risk that it will predominantly remain a retail business.

scholarly journals Primary health care policy and vision for community pharmacy and pharmacists in Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Gastelurrutia ◽  
Maria J. Faus ◽  
Fernando Martinez-Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
The State ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
State Health ◽  
Primary Health

From a political and governance perspective Spain is a decentralized country with 17 states [comunidades autónomas] resulting in a governmental structure similar to a federal state. The various state regional health services organizational and management structures are focused on caring for acute illnesses and are dominated by hospitals and technology. In a review by the Interstate Council, a body for intercommunication and cooperation between the state health care services and national government, there is a move to improve health care through an integrative approach between specialized care and primary care at the state level. Community pharmacy does not appear to have a major role in this review. Primary health care is becoming more important and leading the change to improve the roles of the health care teams. Primary care pharmacists as the rest of public health professionals are employed by the respective states and are considered public servants. Total health care expenditure is 9.0% of its GDP with the public health sector accounting for the 71% and the private sector 29% of this expenditure. Community pharmacy contracts with each state health administration for the supply and dispensing of medicines and a very limited number of services. There are approximately 22,000 community pharmacies and 52,000 community pharmacists for a population of 47 million people. All community pharmacies are privately owned with only pharmacists owning a single pharmacy. Pharmacy chain stores are not legally permitted. Community pharmacy practice is based on dispensing of medications and dealing with consumer minor symptoms and requests for nonprescription medications although extensive philosophical deep debates on the conceptual and practical development of new clinical services have resulted in national consensually agreed classifications, definitions and protocolized services. There are a few remunerated services in Spain and these are funded at state, provincial or municipal level. There are no health services approved or funded at a national level. Although the profession promulgates a patient orientated community pharmacy it appears to be reluctant to advocate for a change in the remuneration model. The profession as a whole should reflect on the role of community pharmacy and advocate for a change to practice that is patient orientated alongside the maintenance of its stance on being a medication supplier. The future strategic position of community pharmacy in Spain as a primary health care partner with government would then be enhanced.

scholarly journals Primary health care and national household random sampling surveys: contributions from Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L F Pinto ◽  
M R Gonçalves ◽  
N Katz ◽  
R S Silva ◽  
C A A Schmitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
National Health ◽  
Health Survey ◽  
Health Surveys ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The World ◽  
National Health Surveys

Abstract Primary health care has been considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most efficient way of organizing health systems in order to achieve universal health coverage, preserving its attributes and focusing on people. Several countries in the world have developed instruments to measure access, use of services and lifestyles of their populations. In Europe, European Union members have validated the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS / Eurostat), which is in its third wave of application. Brazil, for over 20 years, has developed, through the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) - the Brazilian Federal Statistics Bureau - in partnership with the Ministry of Health, a national household health survey throughout its territory, the so-called National Health Survey (PNS). PNS-2019 questionnaire innovated by including a module of questions that allows assessing the scores of the attributes proposed by Shi and Starfield in the 2000s. The Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) was included in its brazilian statistically validated version for adult users and applied in more than 100,000 households in all five regions and 27 states in Brazil. Over a six-month period, a sample of approximately 10,000 adults was registered, according to the inclusion criteria of the PCAT considered (being 18 years old or older, having had more than one medical appointment in the last six months, having performed this appointment in a public primary health care facility). We consider it essential to use statistically validated instruments that allow cross-country comparisons and we encourage Governments all over the world to follow Brazilian example in incorporating in their national health surveys a module containing the validated version of the PCAT. This instrument has already been validated and used in the evaluation of primary care in regions of all five continents of the world, demonstrating, therefore, its capacity for cultural adaptation to each reality. Key messages PCAT's set of instruments remains current for the evaluation of primary health care services from the users' perspective nationwide. The importance of using National Health Surveys in each country, with random household sampling to assess health systems and conditions.

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