Minor Ailments: Early Findings From An Integrated Common Ailment Record In Portuguese Community Pharmacies

• By: RODRIGUES, Maria Teresa (National Association of Pharmacies (CEDIME/IF, ANF))
• Co-author(s): Ms Jéssica Delgado (Centre for Medicines Information and Health Interventions/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEDIME/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Ms Mariana Guia (Centre for Medicines Information and Health Interventions/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEDIME/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Ms Mariana Romão (Centre for Health Evaluation & Research/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEFAR/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Mr Rúben Pereira (Centre for Health Evaluation & Research/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEFAR/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Ms Isabel Guerreiro (Centre for Medicines Information and Health Interventions/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEDIME/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Ms Maria Mendes (Centre for Medicines Information and Health Interventions/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEDIME/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Ms Zilda Mendes (Centre for Health Evaluation & Research/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEFAR/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Ms Diana Amaral (National Association of Pharmacies, Portugal)
  Dr Maria Teresa Almeida (Centre for Medicines Information and Health Interventions/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEDIME/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal)
  Mr António Rodrigues (Centre for Medicines Information and Health Interventions/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEDIME/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal / Centre for Health Evaluation & Research/Infosaúde, National Association of Pharmacies (CEFAR/IF, ANF), Lisbon, Portugal / Life and Health Sciences Research Institute [ICVS], School of Medicine, University of Minho , Braga, Portugal / ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal)
  
• Abstract:

  Introduction
  Community pharmacies are strategically positioned to respond to the population’s needs in managing common ailments. Despite this, in Portugal, pharmacies did not keep structured records of their intervention in these situations, making it impossible to characterize the population's health needs, as well as to assess the effectiveness and economic impact of their work in common ailments. With this objective, the Portuguese National Association of Pharmacies (ANF) developed a structured common ailment record tool to integrate within the pharmacy software of its affiliates.
  This study aims to describe the common ailment record tool developed and present findings from the first months of its implementation in the portuguese community pharmacies affiliated of ANF.
  
  Method
  The common ailment record tool was developed to be integrated in the software used by the affiliated pharmacies of ANF (Nova Solução Sifarma, Winphar, and 4DigitalCare). A web-based form was also created for the pharmacies that don’t use either software, in order to encourage maximum adherence.
  When delivering the intervention, the pharmacy can register information about the patient (sex and age group), the common ailment presented, what triggered the intervention (symptoms and/or complaints from the patient; request for a specific drug or health product; other), as well as the intervention delivered (pharmacological, non-pharmacological measures and/or referral to a doctor’s appointment). These records can be added to the patient’s personal records (in case there are any available) at the pharmacy. The data collected by the different software houses were combined and analyzed for the purposes of this project.
  
  Results
  Since the launch of the common ailment record tool, in December 2023, until February 2024, a total of 14,793 records were created (December 2023: 1,178; January 2024: 5,278; February 2024: 8,336). Around 60% of individuals were female and 65.4% were aged between 19 and 65 years old. In 72.4% of the cases, the pharmacist intervention was prompted by an individual presenting a set of symptoms or complaints. Cough (24.9%), cold (17.6%), musculoskeletal pain (8.6%), and acute oropharyngeal infection (8.3%) were the most frequent common ailments registered. In 25.6% of the cases where a specific drug or health product was requested, the pharmacy ended up dispensing a different product after assessing the case. Around 5% of the patients were referred for a doctor’s appointment.
  
  Conclusion
  Community pharmacies appear to be gradually adopting the common ailment record tool and the most frequent common ailments found are consistent with the data collection season (winter). Identifying and characterizing the population’s health needs regarding common ailments is essential to establish the most adequate health services response, improve health outcomes, and optimize resources, both at the pharmacy and population level. The goal is to, ultimately, transform this common practice in the Portuguese pharmacies into a contracted and protocolized service.