Factors and strategies for the implementation of a minor ailment service: a case study

Minor ailment service (MAS) is a professional pharmacy service assisting patients to manage minor ailments. MAS involves a structured consultation process with protocols which delineate professional practice. INDICA+PRO is a project, started in 2017, which evaluates the impact and subsequently implementation of MAS in Spanish community pharmacies. This paper reports on the experience of implementing the service in a single pharmacy.

Implementation factors (barriers and facilitators) were detected and a series of strategies were developed and used as part of the implementation program of MAS through a practice program, INDICA+PRO. The implementation strategies, such as highlighting the advantages of MAS for the pharmacy, incentives for the provision of the service and/or the distribution of tasks within the team were used to overcome barriers. Facilitators included the availability of a consultation room in the pharmacy, good relationships with nearby health centers and the provision of other professional services in the pharmacy.

The advantages obtained from MAS, following the inclusion in the software (SEFAC eXPERT^®) of the agreed protocols and clinical information, were improved patient follow-up, increased communication within the team and with patients, the pharmacy having a clinical history of the minor ailments and the ability of being able to prepare standardized reports.