ESTEVE just started up Recomienda (www.recomiendatufarmacia.com), a space designed to increase the visibility of community pharmacists and their active role in enhancing the quality of life of users and patients. The purpose of this platform is to become a meeting point and source of inspiration created by and for professional pharmacists where video clips with ideas, experiences, success stories and advice are shared. This platform is endorsed by SEFAC and SEMERGEN and will reward the initiatives best valued by users. Recomienda is a step forward in ESTEVE's commitment to innovation and the value of the pharmaceutical profession.
Pharmacists are key agents in the provision of services that decisively contribute to the well-being, quality of life and improved health of people. Indeed, pharmacists are qualified, accessible, close, trustworthy professionals who, quite often, are the first point of reference for users and patients.

The raison d'être of Recomienda is to increase the value of pharmacy as a health space, contribute to the professionalization of pharmaceutical care, encourage the promotion of healthy habits, promote pharmacotherapeutic follow-up services in chronicity, and improve the management and profitability of pharmacy. Ultimately, to extend the role of pharmacists beyond that of mere drug dispensers while being a catalytic platform that serves as inspiration for professionals.

The contents of Recomienda are endorsed by the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEFAC) and the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN). These contents, however, primarily feed on the contributions made by pharmacists themselves, who may thus have knowledge of initiatives driven by other professional colleagues.

Any professional working in a community pharmacy, whether licensee or employee, may participate in Recomienda. The space is designed to share (maximum 3-minute) video clips of pharmaceutical initiatives and experiences that can be recorded with cameras, computers, cell phones or tablets and uploaded directly to the platform. The three main categories are minor ailment care, chronic patient care and pharmaceutical management.

The best valued initiatives will be rewarded

Any health professional registered in Recomienda may value the initiatives it contains by clicking the 'Like' button. For the purpose of recognizing and disseminating the contributions of community pharmacy, the video clips best valued by the community in each category -minor ailment care, chronic patient care and pharmaceutical management- will be rewarded at the end of the year.

One winning initiative in each category will be selected and awarded 1,000 euros, and two finalists will be awarded 500 euros. All these initiatives will be selected by an independent jury composed of prominent representatives of the health sector.

A space with advice for users and patients

Recomienda also provides community pharmacy professionals with video clips and contents for patients that include information and useful advice to promote healthy habits, help fight minor ailments and improve therapeutic adherence to chronic treatments.

This information and advice can be used on the pharmacy website, the social media or the pharmacy screen. Contents may also be downloaded and handled directly to users or patients.

For instance, the Minor ailment care section includes advice to fight insomnia or foster positive thinking. The Chronic patient care section includes advice on how to be aware of and alleviate pain, how to better control asthma or how to control high blood pressure.


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