Efeito de um ciclo de melhoria da qualidade na inspeção sanitária de drogarias

Abstract

Introduction: Given the need to guarantee the population's safe and quality access to health products and services of interest to health, as well as to prevent the emergence of health problems, Health Surveillance (VISA) was conceptualized with Law 8.080/1990, together with the creation of the SUS. In the context of VISA's action, medicines also require special care. With the milestone of Law 13.021/2014, which elevated pharmacies and drugstores to the status of health establishments and due to the increase in the number of these establishments throughout the national territory. Objective: To analyze the impact of a quality improvement cycle on health inspections of drugstores in a municipality in northeastern Brazil. Methods: This is a multi-method study that developed a Quality Improvement Cycle in health surveillance in the Municipality of Paulista. The study was conducted in two stages: the first stage, crosssectional and quantitative in nature, aimed to identify critical points and opportunities for improvement in health inspections, guiding the definition of intervention actions. The second stage, a quasi-experimental study, without a control group of the before and after type, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of these implemented actions, comparing the results obtained before and after the intervention. Results: The level of compliance with the evaluated criteria was estimated for a 95% confidence level, the results demonstrated relative improvements of 23%, 18%, 73% and 21% for criteria C1, C2, C3 and C4 respectively. The implemented improvement cycle resulted in: a significant reduction in the average waiting time for the first inspection and for the release of the health license. A 20% reduction in non-conformities found in the inspections was identified, indicating an increase in the quality of the services provided by the drugstores. An increase in the supply of certain services was identified: a 2.5% growth in the number of establishments selling controlled drugs and a significant 45% increase in the supply of EAC 1 type laboratory tests. The services of measuring clinical and biochemical parameters, administering injectable drugs and earlobe piercing remained stable. Reduction in a specific service: There was an 18.27% reduction in the supply of rapid tests for Covid-19. Conclusion: The continuous improvement cycle proved to be an essential instrument for ensuring the quality and safety of health inspections in drugstores, promoting the standardization of processes and minimizing the variability of results.