The La Rioja Health Department plans to establish an effective strategy to improve health, quality of life, safety of medicated patients and the sustainability of pharmaceutical provision. The objective is to work on the citizen awareness on the importance of rational use of medications.
To this end, through the General Directorate of Benefits and Pharmacy, guidelines have begun to be established to promote this rational use that “responds to one of the main lines of work that the General Directorate has been developing in order to guarantee better pharmaceutical provision to all Riojans”.
“In La Rioja, around 20,000 medications are dispensed per day and around 155,000 patients have taken at least one chronic medication in 2023”
This has been defended by the general director of Benefits and Pharmacy, Gonzalo Apariciowho explained the importance of working in this area because “in La Rioja around 20,000 medications a day and nearly 155,000 patients have taken at least one chronic medication in 2023.”
To this end, Health will prepare a work guide that, among others, will take into account the increase in life expectancy, the improvement in diagnostic techniques and the increase in the prevalence of chronic and degenerative diseases. In addition, it will also address the emergence of more effective and selective medications but of great economic impact.
The strategy will include, among others, a study of the different groups of drugs that are most used in the healthcare field, an analysis of the evolution of pharmaceutical provision, a work plan with actions aimed at prescribers and citizens, computer tools to facilitate more efficient prescriptions and indicators to monitor compliance and effectiveness of the measures developed.
As Aparicio explained, according to data from the World Health Organization, “only half of the population takes the medication correctly.” And this has very negative effects on health.”
“Only half of the population takes their medication correctly”
Furthermore, other studies indicate that “up to 10% of hospital admissions have their origin in some problem related to the medication.” Some data that “should make us act” to avoid these complications. Hence the importance of developing this strategy “with the main objective of promoting Rational use of medicines“.
The document they present also includes a study of the different groups of medications that are most used in the healthcare field of our community, such as analgesics, antidepressants, among others.
The work plan, he insisted, “is both for prescribers and for citizens in general, both patients, caregivers or anyone who has to use medication.” Another action will be aimed at disclosing and commenting on suspicions of adverse actions, what is known as pharmacovigilance. A series of projects have also been proposed to improve the computerized medical prescription tool that can make it easier for healthcare professionals to carry out more efficient prescriptions.
In the information part they will place special emphasis on antibiotic resistance and the importance of taking these medications correctly. As the general director of Benefits and Pharmacy has recognized, “one of the keys to putting into practice and being successful in the rational use of medicines is the co-responsibility of all the agents involved in health, both public administrations and health professionals. , patients, caregivers and citizens in general” for this reason they will also carry out activities and collaboration campaigns with pharmacies and Primary Care.
