Study: What do patients expect from a medication analysis?

Are pharmacy customers even aware of medication analyses, and if so, what do they expect from them? This question was addressed by a project of the Clinical Pharmacy Cooperation Unit at Heidelberg University Hospital, supported by the Pharmaceutical Care Funding Initiative. In the prospective, multicenter survey conducted in spring 2024, two Pharmacies in Germany asked more than half of their daily customers to take part in a survey over a period of three weeks, and in a third pharmacy even over a period of six weeks.

A total of 1,561 people agreed to participate in the survey directly in the pharmacy via laptop or tablet. The average age was 53. Most respondents regularly used one to four medications and stated that they sought advice about their medications in the pharmacy.

The questionnaire was available in several languages. Customers were asked whether they were aware that their pharmacy offered medication analysis services. They were also asked to rate the relevance of potential benefits of such an intervention on a scale of 0 to 2. The results have now been published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice .

According to the study, only 18 percent of the participants were aware of the offer. Women were more likely to be informed than men (odds ratio 1.211), as were those who actively requested counseling services (odds ratio 1.020). The most common reasons cited for seeking medication analysis were knowledge of the personal benefits and a recommendation from a doctor or pharmacist. Recommendations from relatives, acquaintances, and friends were rated as less relevant.

As benefits, most respondents expected fewer side effects and better knowledge about their medications (1.4 ± 0.7 points each), as well as fewer problems with their medication, such as fewer interactions (1.3 ± 0.7 points). This applied to both those who were familiar with medication analysis and those who had never heard of it.

Other expectations were rated as "very important": the hope of having to use fewer medications, simplification of therapy, greater safety in use, a complete and up-to-date medication plan, better exchange between healthcare professionals, additional lifestyle recommendations and better adherence.

"The acquisition of knowledge and the improvement of medication safety through medication analysis are extremely valuable for customers," concludes the team of authors led by Professor Dr. Hanna Seidling. "A clear explanation of the purpose and expected benefits of medication analyses could increase their reach and impact."