Pharmacist-led patient education improves medication self-management and adherence in chronic hepatitis D virus patients: insights from the EXPLAIN project

Abstract

Understanding the multifaceted challenges of medication self-management is crucial for enhancing patient outcomes and averting adverse events. Pharmacist-led patient education programmes (PEPs) have proven effective in improving adherence and mitigating errors, especially in chronic diseases.1 2 However, the lack of official recognition or clear leadership from hospital pharmacists hampers widespread adoption of PEPs across Europe. Given the complexity of medications requiring intricate self-management, delegating PEPs provision to hospital pharmacists is imperative due to their expertise. At the University Hospital of Padova, we have implemented a process to assist patients with hepatitis D virus (HDV) in adhering to medications with challenging self-management procedures. HDV, a ‘superinfection’ exclusive to individuals with chronic hepatitis B, necessitates meticulous management to prevent …