Preventable drug-related morbidity in community pharmacy: commentary on the implications for practice and policy of a novel intervention

Abstract

This commentary relates to a paper on the development and piloting of a risk management intervention in Portuguese community pharmacy, based on validated preventable drug-related morbidity indicators. In the paper we presented the research programme and implications for future evaluation. However, we believe that the intervention may be seen as important for patient safety without further evaluation. Therefore in this commentary we discuss considerations for service roll-out, by revisiting some issues already presented and by introducing aspects such as service definition and remuneration. We argue that in the absence of service remuneration, redesign of care processes through IT support and inter-professional collaboration, and coaching to encourage the aforementioned efforts it is unlikely that the proposed risk management intervention will succeed in preventing drug-related morbidity.