Can we document the practice of dispensing? A systematic review.

WHAT IS KNOWN

Documentation is a process indicator utilized to evaluate quality clinical pharmacist services. In this framework, documentation of dispensing, besides supporting patient care, allows evaluation of the impact of counselling.

OBJECTIVE

To identify and assess studies of documentation by pharmacists in the dispensing process.

METHOD

A systematic review was carried out according to the following steps: (i) identification of studies in the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and Lilacs, using the descriptors 'counselling', 'dispensing', 'community pharmacy services', 'pharmacies' and 'pharmacists' in different combinations; (ii) evaluation of studies, in which the title, abstract and full text of the studies, and the evaluation of the methodological quality of the selected studies were analysed.

RESULTS

In total, 26 articles met the specific criteria. Few studies addressed documentation as part of the dispensing working process (3), and 16 articles reported documentation using non-electronic systems. The main variables documented were patient information, drug therapy problems and clinical interventions. Furthermore, 20 studies showed the effects of documentation in the dispensing process and 23 studies included statistical evidence. Eight articles met between 42% and 75% of the 28 items recommended by the STROBE initiative, and two articles met approximately 60% of the 36 items recommended by the CONSORT initiative.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Few studies address documentation as part of the dispensing working process. Thus, researchers should be concerned with standardizing documentation and implementing more robust designs and multicenter studies.