Management of pharmaceutical services in the fight against COVID-19 in universal public health systems: a rapid review

Abstract Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought new challenges and lessons were learnt for health services. In the field of pharmaceutical care, several interventions have been proposed to optimize and expand the response capacity of services. Objective To identify and characterize interventions performed in the management of pharmaceutical services during the COVID-19 pandemic in universal public health systems. Methods A rapid literature review was conducted and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022360902). Systematic searches in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and Virtual Health Library databases were conducted to identify interventions and practices adopted for the management of pharmaceutical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Thirteen articles reporting interventions developed in six countries were included. The interventions were summarized under three major themes: actions for continuous access to medicines, logistical measures for acquisition and storage, and organizational strategies. Telepharmacy services stand out as a typical action adopted in different services, which highlights the use and consolidation of digital technologies in these services. Strategies for process management were described and focused on the reorganization of the internal service of pharmacies, flow of services, and people management. Conclusions Many interventions were developed during the pandemic, some of which have already been incorporated into routine service delivery. Although the studies did not measure the effect of each intervention, the strategies developed are a source of information for the future delivery of care. Studies should be conducted to evaluate the potential of similar interventions in other health emergency contexts.