Using two different Classifications of Drug Related Problems in community pharmacies – the Portuguese experience / Uso de dos diferentes clasificaciones de problemas relacionados con medicamentos en farmacias comunitarias – La experiencia portuguesa / Utiliza o de duas classifica es diferentes de problemas relacionados com medicamentos em farmácias de oficina – a experiência portuguesa

Objectives: To describe and discuss: a) the experience of Portuguese pharmacies in using the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) DRP Classification ver. 1.2 during the pilot intervention of pharmacy-based disease management programs; b) the tools developed by ANF to assist community pharmacists in this process; c) the decisions concerning the classification adopted for the expansion of these programs in Portugal; d) the use of the Second Granada Consensus DRP classification in the past 19 months. Method: Analysis of the use of two DRP classifications in a prospective intervention in two periods: 1st) from Nov-2001 to Dec-2002 in 88 pharmacies / 396 patients initially enrolled. In this period (pilot intervention), pharmacies used the PCNE DRP Classification ver. 1.2; and 2nd) since April 2003, after introducing Second Granada Consensus DRP Classification. Results: During the pilot intervention, pharmacists identified 1407 DRPs – the most common category reported was lack of drug (40%). Several problems were reported by pharmacists and/or observed by ANF program supervisors during on-site coaching when the former tried to use the PCNE DRP Classification ver. 1.2. Due to this, some tools were developed to assist pharmacists in the use of this classification although optimal resolution was not achieved. A the Second Granada Consensus DRP classification was adopted for the expansion of these programs and between April 2003 and November 2004, pharmacists had identified 1142 DRPs, being quantitative non-effectiveness of drug therapy the most common category (48%) reported. A more consistent, systematic and practical approach was reported, this time, by pharmacists and observed by ANF program supervisors. Conclusions: Only a DRP classification that is capable of ensuring a stepwise, systematic and consistent identification and classification of DRPs is suitable for practice purposes. The new classification adopted since April 2003 – the Second Granada Consensus - in real practice environment by a large sample of pharmacists has demonstrated, over the past 19 months, to meet these requirements. Therefore, it is suggested to be adopted in other countries for practice purposes and to allow comparison of data.