IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE IN A MUNICIPALITY IN THE WESTERN POTIGUAR, BRAZIL
Quality Assessment; Pharmaceutical Assistance, Primary Health Care.
In Brazil, among the responsibilities that municipalities assume with the Unified Health System (SUS), is Pharmaceutical Assistance (AF). There are different models, stages of organization and structuring of these health services in the municipalities. Several advances have been made since the publication of the National Medicines Policy (PNM), the National Pharmaceutical Assistance Policy, the Health Pact and Decree 7,508 of 2011. However, studies point to weaknesses in the current model of PA, making it difficult to compliance with the principles proposed by the SUS, through the Health Care Networks (RAS) with the challenge of overcoming the fragmentation of pharmaceutical services. In this sense, the present study aims to evaluate the improvement in the quality of Pharmaceutical Care in the city of Apodi-RN, Brazil, after the implementation of a cycle of quality improvement. It is an Action Research with a before and after evaluation study. The analysis of the criteria and indicators constructed was carried out in the Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence 2.0 (SQUIRE). Fourteen drug dispensing units were evaluated, being 12 Basic Health Units (UBS), 01 Psychosocial Care Center (CAPS) and 01 Supply Center. For each evaluation, a confidence interval (CI) of 95% was assigned. The research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee under the opinion number 5,077,998 (CAAE: 50990921.9.0000.5292). As a result, we had the elaboration and implementation of the Manual of Good Practices for Dispensing Medicines and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP); implementation of the HORUS system; hiring another pharmacist for the implementation of Pharmaceutical Assistance actions. In general, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of a plan to improve the quality of pharmaceutical care in the municipality.