Technological innovation for access to medicines in the SUS: report of the Digital Pharmacy RS

Abstract

The objective of this work is to report the design, implantation and implementation of the Digital Pharmacy Platform RS at State Department of Health of Rio Grande do Sul (SES/RS). The Digital Pharmacy RS is a digital service of consultation, request and renewal of treatments with medicines and nutritional formulas of Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Assistance (CEAF) and the Special Medicines Program, within the framework of the Unified Health System (SUS). The implementation of the platform in SES/RS occurred in March 2020 by the state government and was integrated into strategic actions to combat COVID-19, corroborating the reduction in the movement of people in Special Drug Pharmacies (EMF) and essential health services for users? access to medicines in the SUS. SES/RS was a pioneer among the state health departments in launching a digital platform, within the scope of Pharmaceutical Assistance, in SUS, enabling administrative requests for medicines and nutritional formulas to be made digitally without the need for the user or his/her representative to open the administrative process. As a result of the implementation of this service, it was verified that the user was made easier access to request treatments through the digital route that can track the request directly on the platform, which is available full-time. At the same time, the pharmaceutical professional is expanded the scope of his activities aimed at pharmaceutical care and guidance on the rational use of medicines, in order to monitor users who are assisted by pharmacies in the State of Rio Grande do Sul