HCQO and DQO Report: How to improve the quality of care in pharmacies?

The quality of care provided in pharmacies is a major issue for healthcare professionals and patients, which is why the High Council for Pharmacy Quality (HCQO) has embarked on a Pharmacy Quality (DQO) approach aimed at improving the quality of practices and services offered by pharmacies. This approach, initiated in 2019, is structured around three main areas of action. In this article, we summarize these three areas and the measures proposed by the HCQO to strengthen the DQO.

First Axis - DEVELOPING TOOLS AND OFFERING PERSONALIZED SUPPORT FOR PHARMACISTS.

The first axis of the DQO concerns the evolution of the tools and support offered to pharmacists. To this end, the HCQO proposes the establishment of an observatory to assess the deployment of the quality approach in the profession in order to support it in the appropriation and understanding of this quality approach. Feedback from the field and additional indicators must be considered in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the different actions. The HCQO also wishes to develop its observatory by collecting and analyzing different indicators, such as the overall evolution of the results of the self‑assessment, the realization of a survey among a representative sample of pharmacies with the objective of measuring the quality of the deployment and its impact on professional practices, as well as user feedback on the framework and the new tools made available, all this through annual surveys . In addition, the HCQO will formalize a Quality Management System (QMS) with the aim of obtaining NF EN ISO 9001 v.2015 certification granted by an accredited body. These measures aim to strengthen the quality of pharmacy practices and better support professionals in implementing the quality approach.

Second Axis - CONTINUE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE APPROACH AND STRENGTHEN INCENTIVE MEASURES

Axis 2 of the HCQO and DQO report focuses on rolling out the approach and strengthening incentives to encourage pharmacist participation. The report emphasizes that for the approach to be effective, it is essential to ensure a high level of overall participation . It is therefore recommended that various incentives be put in place to encourage pharmacies to get involved.

Among the recommended incentives, we can notably note the implementation of a bonus system for pharmacies that achieve the objectives set upfront. This system could be based on criteria such as the number of patients screened or the quality of the services offered. The report also encourages and recommends the organization of training and awareness sessions to help pharmacists better understand the approach and its importance.

Summary of Axis 3 - STRENGTHENING THE APPROACH

Axis 3 of the Pharmacy Quality Approach is an important component for ensuring the quality of pharmacy services over time . Its main objective is to strengthen the quality approach by offering effective tools for pharmacies while encouraging targeted professionals to actively participate in the continuous improvement of their service. With this in mind, several actions are envisaged. Initially, it is planned to develop tools for measuring and monitoring quality indicators, in order to support pharmacists in their continuous improvement process. These tools will be made available to pharmacies to enable them to monitor their performance, compare their activity with that of their peers and better understand the needs of their patients on a large scale.

The DQO also intends to strengthen pharmacist training in the area of quality management and risk management . Acquiring skills in these areas is a key factor in the success of the quality management process. To achieve this, appropriate training will be offered to healthcare professionals to raise their awareness of quality issues and help them integrate these concepts into their daily practice.

Learn more below by going directly to the DQO's 2023‑2027 roadmap. 👇