Patients' experience with a community pharmacy fall prevention service

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Pharmaceutical Services
• Public Health

Background:

• Pharmacists play a vital role in fall prevention initiatives.
• Community pharmacy services like fall risk screenings, counseling, and medication reviews are essential.
• Patient acceptance of pharmacists' role in fall prevention is critical for success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient experiences with a community pharmacy fall prevention service.
• To understand patient perspectives on pharmacist-led fall prevention interventions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with patients aged 70+ who used a pharmacy fall prevention service.
• Service included fall risk screening, counseling, and medication review for patients on ≥5 drugs, including fall risk-increasing drugs.
• Interviews explored outcomes, patient motivation, and interaction with pharmacy technicians, guided by the consolidated framework for implementation research.

Main Results:

• Most interviewed patients (87/91) reported positive experiences, particularly with medication reviews.
• Deprescribing medication led to positive patient outcomes; others felt reassured about medication appropriateness.
• The service increased patient awareness of fall risks, though few were motivated to change lifestyle.

Conclusions:

• Community pharmacy fall prevention services, especially medication reviews, offer significant patient benefits.
• Patient education within these services effectively enhances awareness of fall risks.
• Positive patient experiences highlight the value of pharmacist-led fall prevention programs.