Relato de experiência e as contribuições do Programa Remédio em Casa para a assistência farmacêutica humanizada no CEAF Alagoas

Abstract

Introduction: Maintaining continuous pharmacological treatment is a challenge for patients with physical limitations, chronic diseases, or other conditions that hinder travel to healthcare services. To address this reality, the Home Medication Delivery Program (Remédio em Casa) was created by the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Assistance (CEAF) in Alagoas, launched in August 2019, initially serving the state capital, Maceió. The program delivers medications directly to patients' homes, ensuring greater comfort, safety, and adherence to treatment for patients with specific needs. Aligned with patientcentered care principles, it promotes continuity of therapy, expands access to essential medicines, and contributes to more equitable and humanized pharmaceutical care. Objective: To report the experience of implementing and operating the Home Medication Delivery Program at CEAF/AL, highlighting its benefits, challenges encountered, and opportunities for improvement as a strategy to expand access to medicines and strengthen pharmaceutical care. Methods: Qualitative study based on an experience report, drawing on the experiences of professionals involved in the program and the perceptions of patients, family members, and caregivers. The analysis considered observations of workflow, team meetings, and informal feedback from users. Results and Discussion: Patients who met the program's eligibility criteria and wished to participate were registered in spreadsheets organized by delivery routes according to neighborhood. The process began with medication dispensing through the Hórus system, followed by the individual preparation of medications in packages identified for each patient. After a doublecheck, motorcycle couriers safely delivered the medications to patients' homes. The implementation of the program represented a significant advancement in pharmaceutical logistics for the care of patients with chronic diseases. Among the benefits observed were increased treatment adherence, improved quality of life, greater user satisfaction, and the strengthening of the pharmacist's role within the healthcare network. However, challenges remain, including the limited number of delivery personnel, logistical delays, difficulties in delivering thermolabile medications, the ongoing need to update patient records, and the complexity of organizing delivery routes. These challenges have been addressed through internal adjustments and continuous review of workflows. Patients and their families reported positive perceptions, emphasizing comfort, safety, and a sense of humanized care even outside the healthcare setting. Conclusion: The Home Medication Delivery Program has become an effective strategy for bringing pharmaceutical care closer to users, strengthening continuity of care and expanding access to medications with safety and equity. This experience reinforces the importance of maintaining and expanding the program through institutional dissemination, continuous staff training, and user engagement in the development of a more humanized model of care.