Pharmacist‐provided non‐dispensing services in low‐ and middle‐income countries
Citation: Pande S, Hiller J, Nkansah N, et al. The effect of pharmacist‐provided non‐dispensing services on patient outcomes, health service utilisation and costs in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013; (2): CD010398
What is this? The COVID-19 pandemic is placing a great strain on healthcare services. Existing research on broadening pharmacists’ roles to provide health information and deal with medicine-related problems may provide useful information for policy makers.
In this Cochrane review, the authors searched for comparative effectiveness studies of pharmacist-provided non-dispensing services in low- and middle- income countries. They did their main searches in early 2010 and a supplementary search in September 2012. They included 12 randomised trials that were published up to 2010. These were from lower-middle income countries (7 studies) and upper-middle income countries (5). The authors’ September 2012 search identified an additional 26 articles, which are awaiting assessment.
What was found: Based on the studies included in the review, a patient-targeted pharmacist intervention was as effective or better than usual care for improving patient outcomes and health service utilisation, and for delivering patient counselling and care for drug therapy and management of the patient’s health condition.
Based on the studies included in the review, the effects of educational sessions by pharmacists for patients and healthcare professionals, including on costs and health outcomes are uncertain.
Based on the studies included in the review, the effects of pharmacist-provided services in low income countries are uncertain.