The Prescription for a Diagnosis & Treatment Formulary in Short-Term Medical Missions
Location
Culp Center Ballroom
Start Date
4-25-2023 9:00 AM
End Date
4-25-2023 11:00 AM
Poster Number
106
Faculty Sponsor’s Department
Pharmacy Practice
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
Emily Flores
Competition Type
Competitive
Type
Literature Review
Project's Category
International Health
Abstract or Artist's Statement
Short-Term Medical Missions (STMMs) seek to provide healthcare services to people where poverty remains prevalent and limited healthcare access remains prevalent. While STMMs increase access to quality healthcare, contributions may not yet be optimal. Traveling medical professionals make a diagnosis and treatment plan based on previously established knowledge. While these treatment plans may prove to be acceptable, plans may not fully consider local customs, or ongoing medication access. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to determine best practices in developing a formulary for STMMs to investigate if an evidence-based Diagnosis & Treatment Formulary (D&TF) improves cost and time efficiency. The World Health Organization (WHO) executive summary, global essential medicines list, and the International Pharmaceutical Federation and WHO joint guidelines on good pharmacy practice were reviewed for best practices and formulary guidance. The National Institutes of Health’s PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Web of Science Core Collection were searched using keywords cost-effective, evidence-based, formulary, missions, and pharmacy. Fourteen articles were identified and reviewed with inclusion criteria including English language and both within the U.S. and outside the U.S. Exclusion criteria included reviews, editorials, letter publications, and publications prior to 2005. Current best practices for STMM formularies include utilizing the WHO’s sample formulary and guiding principles to develop a team formulary. Formularies for STMMs should be specific to the WHO region, address primary health needs while including medications based on disease prevalence, utilize locally available and affordable medications, and incorporate easy-to-read pictorial medication dispensing labels in the region’s native language. Through literature review, considerations for development and implementation of WHO regional D&TFs have been identified. Appropriate diagnoses and provision of optimal medication regimens relevant to a region’s primary health needs are critical in delivering healthcare services during STMMs. Improving provider confidence in prescribing, increasing team efficiency in medication provision, and advancing equitable health care that is patient-centered and safe, are possible benefits of improved formulary practices. D&TFs go beyond a list of medications by providing an evidence-based treatment regimen for each diagnosis. A need for D&TFs for STMMs that can be further individualized has been identified. The recommended prescription for developing a D&TF for STMMs is for it to include evidence-based treatment plans, utilize essential medicines, be cost-effective, and locally relevant. Pictorial labels should be developed, utilizing local language on any text. STMM teams will need education on the prescription utilized to develop the formulary and its expected benefits to assist with implementation.
The Prescription for a Diagnosis & Treatment Formulary in Short-Term Medical Missions
Culp Center Ballroom
Short-Term Medical Missions (STMMs) seek to provide healthcare services to people where poverty remains prevalent and limited healthcare access remains prevalent. While STMMs increase access to quality healthcare, contributions may not yet be optimal. Traveling medical professionals make a diagnosis and treatment plan based on previously established knowledge. While these treatment plans may prove to be acceptable, plans may not fully consider local customs, or ongoing medication access. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to determine best practices in developing a formulary for STMMs to investigate if an evidence-based Diagnosis & Treatment Formulary (D&TF) improves cost and time efficiency. The World Health Organization (WHO) executive summary, global essential medicines list, and the International Pharmaceutical Federation and WHO joint guidelines on good pharmacy practice were reviewed for best practices and formulary guidance. The National Institutes of Health’s PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Web of Science Core Collection were searched using keywords cost-effective, evidence-based, formulary, missions, and pharmacy. Fourteen articles were identified and reviewed with inclusion criteria including English language and both within the U.S. and outside the U.S. Exclusion criteria included reviews, editorials, letter publications, and publications prior to 2005. Current best practices for STMM formularies include utilizing the WHO’s sample formulary and guiding principles to develop a team formulary. Formularies for STMMs should be specific to the WHO region, address primary health needs while including medications based on disease prevalence, utilize locally available and affordable medications, and incorporate easy-to-read pictorial medication dispensing labels in the region’s native language. Through literature review, considerations for development and implementation of WHO regional D&TFs have been identified. Appropriate diagnoses and provision of optimal medication regimens relevant to a region’s primary health needs are critical in delivering healthcare services during STMMs. Improving provider confidence in prescribing, increasing team efficiency in medication provision, and advancing equitable health care that is patient-centered and safe, are possible benefits of improved formulary practices. D&TFs go beyond a list of medications by providing an evidence-based treatment regimen for each diagnosis. A need for D&TFs for STMMs that can be further individualized has been identified. The recommended prescription for developing a D&TF for STMMs is for it to include evidence-based treatment plans, utilize essential medicines, be cost-effective, and locally relevant. Pictorial labels should be developed, utilizing local language on any text. STMM teams will need education on the prescription utilized to develop the formulary and its expected benefits to assist with implementation.