[Pharmaceutical interventions in the new medicine service]

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Context:

• Community pharmacy services are increasingly recognized for managing minor ailments.
• A standardized minor ailment service (SIF) was implemented in Spain to evaluate its effectiveness and implementation.
• The study utilized a pragmatic, hybrid effectiveness-implementation design.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the clinical impact and implementation of a minor ailment service in community pharmacy practice.
• To assess patient outcomes, including symptom resolution, quality of life, and satisfaction.
• To determine the feasibility and operational aspects of the SIF.

Summary:

• 430 pharmacies conducted 20,987 consultations for minor ailments, with pain being the most common (18.7%).
• Pharmacists provided treatment recommendations to 81.3% of patients and referred 8.0% to general practitioners.
• Follow-up data showed high symptom resolution (9.0/10), improved quality of life (+9.0), and patient satisfaction (9.6/10).

Impact:

• The SIF demonstrated operational feasibility and clinical effectiveness in managing minor ailments.
• The service yielded significant positive health outcomes for patients.
• The study underscores the importance of routine service documentation in community pharmacy.