Patient Safety through Interprofessional Collaboration: The Role of Community Health Workers and Pharmacists in Preventing Adverse Drug Reactions During Dental Procedures

Altamran, Afnan Fahad; Almaklhafi, Nada Saleh; Alonazi, Hayel Salem; Alsubaie, Alanoud Nasser; Quhal, Afnan Muteb Dahesh; Alsumali, Eyan Mohammed; Alshammari, Delyal Jurayyad; Almansour, Areej Mohammed; HAKAMI, ABDULRAHMAN AHMED ALI

doi:10.21608/jmals.2024.416399

Patient Safety through Interprofessional Collaboration: The Role of Community Health Workers and Pharmacists in Preventing Adverse Drug Reactions During Dental Procedures

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Nurse Specialist, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, Saudi Arabia

² King Abdulaziz Medical City -Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

³ Harth General Hospital, Saudi Arabia

⁴ Prince Sultan Air Base, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

10.21608/jmals.2024.416399

Abstract

Background: Improving patient safety and avoiding adverse drug reactions (ADRs) during dental operations depends critically on the integration of pharmacists and community health workers (CHWs). By means of thorough medication management, this cooperative approach is crucial in meeting the complicated health demands of patients and thereby enhancing health outcomes. Methods: This scoping study methodically reviewed current research on how pharmacists and CHWs may help reduce ADRs in dental environments. Using a thorough search approach across many databases, with an eye on projects emphasizing interprofessional collaboration, patient education, and medication adherence, relevant studies were found.
Results: The study turned up eighteen papers illustrating different approaches used by pharmacists and CHWs. Medication reviews, enhanced patient adherence, and culturally specific education catered to many groups were among them. Results showed that CHWs improved medicine knowledge by bridging cultural differences between patients and pharmacists, hence promoting communication. Furthermore, important in medication management were pharmacists, who checked for any drug interactions and guaranteed suitable treatment changes. Conclusions: In conclusion, the prevention of ADRs during dental operations depends critically on the cooperation between CHWs and pharmacies. Using their different responsibilities will help these experts maximize drug usage and improve patient safety. Future studies should concentrate on creating organized training courses to improve the efficiency of this interprofessional cooperation even further and investigate the use of integrated care models in many healthcare environments.

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