Implementing a community pharmacy-based educational program to prevent SABA Overuse in asthmatics

Objective: Overuse of Short-Acting B-2 Agonists (SABA), defined as more than 3 sprays per year, is associated with an increased risk of asthma exacerbations. The aim of this study is to implement a community pharmacy-based educational program to address the common problem of SABA overuse among asthmatic patients. Context: A collaborative effort was undertaken by an IPCRG-affiliated Tunisian Asthma Right Care group consisting of 5 general practitioners, 6 pharmacists, and 4 pulmonologists. Working together with pharmacist and general practitioner unions, they developed a community pharmacy-based educational program to prevent SABA overuse in asthmatics. Intervention: The working group proposed a four-step roadmap for implementing the educational program in community pharmacies. Firstly, when a patient requests a SABA inhaler, the pharmacy assistant will inquire about their frequency of use. Secondly, the IPCRG Reliever Reliance test will be conducted for identified overusers. Thirdly, the Asthma Slide Rule will be utilized to raise awareness of the associated risks among overusers. Lastly, the pharmacist will intervene in the final step, providing additional educational messages and evaluating the need for a referral to a doctor. Strategy: The impact of the educational program will be evaluated by measuring the ratio of SABA inhaler sales to controller inhaler sales in the participating pharmacies before and 12 months after program implementation. Lessons Learned: This experience highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in implementing an educational program. To ensure success, it is crucial to have a clear and measurable objective, effective tools, and an evaluative criterion. Key Takeaways: When implementing a program like this, having a specific measurable goal is essential. Additionally, using useful tools and establishing a measurable evaluation criterion are crucial components for success.