e-Interconsultations between a hospital pharmacy service and primary care pharmacy units in Spain.

PURPOSE: To analyse the profile of consultations made using an electronic platform system (e-Interconsultation) of communication between the hospital pharmacy service and primary care pharmacy units.
METHOD: Descriptive and retrospective analysis of the number and type of e-Interconsultations for 3 years in a health area. DATA SOURCE: data mining of the e-Interconsultation platform (Microsoft Sharepoint software).
RESULTS: A total of 1152 interconsultations have been made and 90.6% (88.9%-92.4% 95% CI) solved. 477 (41.1%) of them were referrals from hospital care to primary care in addition to 675 (58.6%) from primary to hospital care. The validation of prescriptions and the need for drug monitoring in primary care are among the main reasons for consultation.
CONCLUSION: This two-way electronic platform of communication is a good mechanism that collaborates in patients' transit between different healthcare levels because it allows us to facilitate, normalise and document consults, referrals and pharmaceutical interventions between hospital care and primary care. Therefore, it helps us provide better quality pharmaceutical care to our patients. © European Association of Hospital Pharmacists 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.