Estructura y servicios de atención farmacéutica ofrecidos en farmacias de Alcorcón (Madrid) y Bilbao

Abstract

Among functions attributed to pharmacists by Spanish laws is situated the provision of patients� pharmacotherapy follow-up, what requires the existence of a individualized care area in community pharmacies, also described in Madrid and Basque Country autonomous legislation; and tools to measure medicines effectiveness and safety. The objective of this work was to analyze, by gathering data as simulated patients, the structure and services offered on relation to pharmaceutical care by community pharmacies at Bilbao (Basque Country) and Alcorcon (Madrid). Out of 98 community pharmacies analyzed, pharmaceutical care services were advertised in 2 of them, individualized care area was observed in 1 of them , in 86 nobody on staff was identified, in 87 computers were seen, in 42 health information was offered by leaflets, 90 presented some promotional shelf on the counter, and one of them presented bibliographic references at patients' view. Regarding at-sight or advertised services, the most commonly found was weight measure (95), and the least common were lab tests (0). Analyzed pharmacies offer scarce pharmaceutical care availability, although structure and services considered as useful is available in these pharmacies in case this new philosophy of practice is assumed.