Community Pharmacy Sharing Our Vision Carmen Pea Community

Community Pharmacy: Sharing Our Vision Carmen Peña

Community Pharmacy: Sharing our Vision 1. Pharmacy as a Reflection of Society 2. Health Policy / Pharmaceutical Policy 3. Professional and Sustainable Pharmacy 4. Patient-Centered Care Services 5. Final Thoughts 2

1. Pharmacy as a reflection of society (1) • Community Pharmacy is a platform for information, training and knowledge about the health and social conditions of the population. • Since the beginning of time medicine men coped with disease and its treatment. • In the Middle Ages the medical and pharmaceutical professions were separated: This social advance prevented vertical relationships and conflicts of interest, for the benefit of patients. • Over the centuries pharmacists in their pharmacies consolidated its role as creators and experts in the field of medicines. 3

1. Pharmacy as a reflection of society (2) • In the 20 th century Pharmacy advanced from the individualized elaboration of medicines to industrial manufacturing. Medicines are pharmacological tools to achieve optimal therapeutic results. • In the 21 st century, an aged European society with new needs, calls for a more committed and patient-focused Pharmacy. • Therefore, we have come to the full circle: we started with individualized medicine and today we are coming back to personalized patient care. • This process needs to have a reflection in the health and pharmaceutical policies. 4

2. Health Policy / Pharmaceutical Policy • Across our countries Pharmacy regulations are different, and must comply with European Union legislation. • It is necessary to convey to society and to our politicians, that: ü In Europe pharmaceutical services are an inherent part of a successful healthcare system ü Pharmacy is a health asset: it contributes to an effective therapy for patients and is efficient for the sustainability of health systems. ü We cannot isolate Pharmacy from health care systems • A health policy must encompass pharmaceutical policy, with the provision of medicines at the Pharmacy. 5

3. Professional and Sustainable Pharmacy (1) Health policies on medicines, pharmacists and community pharmacies, calls for an strategy based on professionalism and sustainability. • Professionalism which opens up a future of opportunities and evolution towards a patient-centered Pharmacy which offers services beyond dispensing. • Sustainability to ensure the continuity in the provision of pharmaceutical services, despite the differences in our healthcare models. in Spain we have launched a Plan on the Future of the Pharmacy, to facilitate the professional development and ensure the economic viability of the network of the 21, 458 community pharmacies. 6

3. Professional and Sustainable Pharmacy (2) From the point of view of Professional Development, we aimed at : • Training based on competencies. • Promotion of a network of drivers. • Raise awareness by mapping all the projects (848) carried out by local community pharmacy chambers in Spain. • Common projects with the health authorities, other health professionals, scientific societies, and patient organizations. • Health research through community pharmacies. • Professional presence on the Internet. • Communication plan. • Rethinking of the portfolio of pharmacy services. 7

4. Patient-Centered Care Services (1) Our European pharmaceutical organizations are working to identify those services which community pharmacists should or can do : • BASIC SERVICES defined by the regulations as inherent to community pharmacists • ADDITIONAL SERVICES, mostly in the field of Public Health -disease prevention and health promotion- in collaboration with the Administration or with patient organizations. - In Spain we are working on early screening programs at the community pharmacy, such as HIV test and early screening of colon cancer. 8

4. Patient-Centered Care Services (2) • COLLABORATIVE SERVICES in collaboration with other healthcare professionals and with the patients' consent. - A field of main interest is Adherence to medication, specifically addressed to elderly, chronically ill, poly-medicated patients (“Con. SIGUE” and “Adhiérete”) and for dependent persons, whether involving residential facilities, non-residential, or at patients' homes. All these patient-centered care services: - Cut costs and contribute to the sustainability of health systems. - Constitute an attractive professional opportunity which implies elaboration of proposals for remuneration, and negotiation with the health authorities. 9

5. Final thoughts • Our challenge is to continue to move forward, responding to the new demands of society, and offering patient-focused services, with hope, confidence, responsibility and professionalism. • We are building the Pharmacy of the future, in which - as health professionals and European citizens - we are making a major commitment to what we believe in. • We will continue to work so that our politicians make the right decisions to ensure accessibility and the safe and responsible use of the medicines the society needs. 10