[Drug supply to nursing homes for the aged].
BACKGROUND
The Federal Government of Germany intends to revise the relevant legislation for pharmacies to improve supply of medicines for inhabitants of nursing homes. According to this initiative pharmacies would sign agreements with nursing homes determining the supply order, service and quality of supply. Today, such a contract is prohibited on the basis of current legislation. The local inspectorates for pharmacies in North Rhine-Westphalia checked on the current supply and initiated an investigation.


METHODS
The local inspectorates for pharmacies performed structured interviews with senior managements of 35 nursing homes in four cities of North Rhine-Westphalia focussing on service and quality of supply of drugs by pharmacies.


RESULTS
80 % of nursing homes were content with the regular service provided by retail pharmacies today. Additional information and consultation by pharmacists for managements, inhabitants and nurses about drug use is only provided in special cases, e. g. after detailed requests.


CONCLUSIONS
To improve drug safety in nursing homes, it makes sense and it is necessary to revise the legislation for pharmacies and to make contracts possible in which the extent of service provided is laid down. Information, consultation and inspection of drug storage should be an essential part of future contracts.
Hendrichs
J
J
Gesundheitsamt Münster.
Hövel
G
G
Lohbreier-Dörr
J
J
Pardieck
A
A
Puteanus
U
U
D000368:Aged; D003284:Contract Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D004346:Drug Information Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D005858:Germany; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations