[Medication screening by the community pharmacist in Belgium]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Public Health

Background:

• * Approximately 20% of Europe's population is over 65, often experiencing multimorbidity.
• * This leads to polypharmacy (multiple drug prescriptions), increasing adverse drug event risks.
• * Medication use contributes to about 5% of unplanned hospital admissions, with 70% in patients over 65.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To highlight the prevalence and impact of potential Drug Related Problems (DRPs) in older patients.
• * To emphasize the need for early detection and prevention of DRPs.
• * To propose periodic medication screening by community pharmacists as a key strategy.

Main Methods:

• * Review of existing research on medication-related hospital admissions in older adults.
• * Identification of common causes of preventable drug-related admissions (e.g., non-indication, adherence issues, interactions).
• * Conceptualization of medication screening by community pharmacists as a proactive intervention.

Main Results:

• * About half of medication-related hospital admissions in older adults are preventable.
• * Preventable admissions stem from issues across the medication management process.
• * Community pharmacists are well-positioned to conduct systematic medication screenings.

Conclusions:

• * Early detection of Drug Related Problems (DRPs) is crucial for avoiding severe patient consequences.
• * Implementing periodic medication screenings by community pharmacists can reduce preventable hospital admissions.
• * Community pharmacists' expertise and patient trust facilitate effective pharmacotherapeutic analysis.