Abstract
Background Interventions aimed to increase adherence to drug treatment usually are not tailored to the needs of individual patients. A modular pharmacy intervention, named ‘Support for Diabetes’, was developed to improve adherence to type 2 diabetes treatment. Objective To evaluate the implementation of a new care intervention by using focus groups including pharmacy teams, and assess patient satisfaction. Setting Community pharmacies in The Netherlands Method The intervention comprises a structured patient interview, an intervention guide and modular interventions tailored to the underlying cause of non-adherence. Feasibility was studied in non-adherent type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, and evaluated by means of focus group interviews with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Topics included practicability of the patient selection procedure, patient interviews, materials developed for the intervention and general practitioner (GP) co-operation. Patients’ experiences (n = 36) were assessed by means of a questionnaire. Main outcome measure Feasibility of the intervention and patients’ satisfaction. Results Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians considered the intervention feasible and appreciated its pro-active approach. Involvement of pharmacy technicians proved a stimulating factor. Poor co-operation with GPs and lack of time as well as financial compensation were interfering factors. Patients appreciated the intervention and reported to follow the advice of pharmacists. Conclusion The ‘Support for Diabetes’ intervention is feasible to implement in pharmacy practice. Poor co-operation between pharmacists and GPs and lack of re-imbursement are obstructions for implementation on a wider scale. These issues should receive attention of pharmacists, policymakers and researchers.
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The four pharmacy teams who participated in the study are acknowledged for their co-operation. The authors received unrestricted grants from Apotex, Regifarm, and the Royal Dutch Association for Pharmacy (KNMP).
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Adhien, P., van Dijk, L., de Vegter, M. et al. Evaluation of a pilot study to influence medication adherence of patients with diabetes mellitus type-2 by the pharmacy. Int J Clin Pharm 35, 1113–1119 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-013-9834-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-013-9834-4