review · Allergy
Community pharmacists frequently act as the initial healthcare contact for individuals managing allergic rhinitis, especially those purchasing over-the-counter treatments. To support their clinical decision-making, the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma initiative established integrated care pathways tailored for community pharmacy settings. These pathways equip pharmacists with practical tools, including a diagnostic questionnaire focused on identifying major symptoms and disease markers, alongside a systematic guide covering differential diagnoses. A simplified flowchart outlines recommended management strategies for patients presenting with both rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity, while also establishing clear prompts for physician referral. Because pharmacy regulations and operations vary across countries, these pathways require local adaptation. Furthermore, incorporating digital technology is considered critical for enhancing allergic rhinitis management within pharmacy services.
Allergic rhinitis and asthma frequently co-exist, yet many individuals manage their symptoms solely through over-the-counter products without formal medical evaluation. Equipping community pharmacists with structured diagnostic and treatment guidance ensures patients receive consistent care, appropriate treatment plans, and timely specialist referrals. This integration helps optimise primary healthcare delivery and improves symptom control across diverse populations.
This work outlines applied clinical frameworks that could be integrated into pharmacy management software, digital triage platforms, and diagnostic mobile applications for community pharmacists. Given the tools are fully conceptualised guides and flowcharts, digital translation into clinical decision-support software is near-market. Commercialisation potential centres on healthcare software developers partnering with pharmacy chains, provided the tools are adapted to align with regional pharmacy regulations and medication formularies.
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Pharmacists are trusted health care professionals. Many patients use over-the-counter (OTC) medications and are seen by pharmacists who are the initial point of contact for allergic rhinitis management in most countries. The role of pharmacists in integrated care pathways (ICPs) for allergic diseases is important. This paper builds on existing studies and provides tools intended to help pharmacists provide optimal advice/interventions/strategies to patients with rhinitis. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA)-pharmacy ICP includes a diagnostic questionnaire specifically focusing attention on key symptoms and markers of the disease, a systematic Diagnosis Guide (including differential diagnoses), and a simple flowchart with proposed treatment for rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity. Key prompts for referral within the ICP are included. The use of technology is critical to enhance the management of allergic rhinitis. However, the ARIA-pharmacy ICP should be adapted to local healthcare environments/situations as regional (national) differences exist in pharmacy care.
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DOI: 10.1111/all.13701
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