The pharmacist in the Brazilian Primary Health Care: insertion under construction

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Public Health

Background:

• The role of pharmacists in primary health care (PHC) is evolving globally.
• Understanding the specific context of pharmacist integration in Brazil's PHC is crucial for optimizing healthcare delivery.
• Previous research indicates varied levels of pharmacist involvement and recognition within healthcare teams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the insertion and work of pharmacists within the primary health care setting in Brazil.
• To identify the experiences, attributions, potentialities, difficulties, and challenges faced by pharmacists in Brazilian PHC.
• To explore the perspectives on pharmacist integration and future professional practice in Brazilian PHC.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across BVS, SciELO, Lilacs, and Medline databases.
• The search covered the period from 1998 to 2016, identifying 157 articles.
• After exclusions, 9 qualitative studies were included for a comprehensive review of pharmacist roles and experiences.

Main Results:

• Research on pharmacist insertion in Brazilian PHC is incipient, with a predominance of qualitative studies emerging after 2007.
• Team integration is a central theme, with significant challenges in gaining recognition and acceptance for pharmacist interventions.
• Pharmacists often experience professional isolation, though potential exists for enhanced integration, supported by recent institutional and regulatory shifts.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacist integration in Brazilian PHC faces challenges related to recognition and acceptance, leading to professional isolation.
• Despite difficulties, significant potentialities exist in client, family, and team-oriented actions, as well as in professional training and disseminating pharmaceutical action outcomes.
• Future professional practice in Brazilian PHC holds promise for strengthened pharmacist integration, driven by evolving national policies and regulations.