Local studies reveal that approximately 6.9% of A&E patients are hospitalized due to medication-related issues1, while one-third of medication users demonstrate poor adherence2. These problems significantly compromise patient safety and treatment efficacy.
In Western healthcare systems, community pharmacists routinely provide medication management and assessment services to high-risk patients, reducing medication-related complications and improving health outcomes. However, such services remained uncommon in Hong Kong’s standard care model.
In 2020, Health In Action partnered with the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy to launch the Community Medication Management Services Pilot Program. Through one-on-one pharmacist-led medication reviews and follow-ups, the initiative empowered patients to fully understand their drug therapies and health conditions, addressing medication problems to enhance safety and effectiveness. Concurrently, the program researched scalable models for implementing community medication management in Hong Kong, providing evidence for broader healthcare adoption.
1 Wong KC. Drug-related problems (DRPs) in emergency department (ED) visits and the impact of the pharmacist-initiated analgesia pathway (PIAP) intervention for adult patients of a teaching hospital of Hong Kong. (Thesis). University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR. 2019
2 Lee GK, Wang HH, Liu KQ, Cheung Y, Morisky DE, Wong MC. Determinants of medication adherence to antihypertensive medications among a Chinese population using Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. PloS one. 2013; 8:e62775
