Community pharmacists’ clinical intervention to reduce pharmaceutical waste

Abstract

In 2007, the Maltese National Health System (NHS) implemented the Pharmacy-Of-Your-Choice (POYC) scheme where patients receive free medication for their chronic conditions through private community pharmacies. Patients must be registered with a specific community pharmacy and be eligible for free medication available under a closed-formulary system for free medication. The medicines are procured through government-owned entities and distributed to community pharmacies. Patients or caregivers collect a supply for 56 days at a time. After 5 years of its implementation, the national audit office identified a total worth of $87,379 of expired/damaged medications from the POYC scheme.

Community pharmacists are meeting patients every two months, when patients collect the refill. Patient medication history for chronic medications received on the POYC scheme is documented in the electronic patient file accessible at the community pharmacy. This scenario makes the community pharmacists well positioned to perform clinical interventions related to medication therapy management that support patient safe and rationale use of medications. Ensuring rationale use of medicines and compliance contributes to cost-savings and improves the green footprint as related to pharmaceutical waste.