RESUMO
Background: FarmaFlux is a non-profit organisation providing e-health services to community pharmacists in Belgium. When the pandemic struck a new service was launched to collect relevant data to tackle strategic issues with regard to the COVID-19 crisis. Purpose(s): The COVID-19 Monitor was launched to detect pharmacy activity and drop out. Dispensing volume of relevant medicines was monitored to be able to prevent shortages. Afterwards they were used for outbreak detection and follow up of adherence. Method(s): Professional associations of community pharmacists participated in the national task force 'Shortages' and collected data about dispensing volumes of relevant medicines. Pharmacy activity data were provided at province level. Dispensing data were cross linked with medical data, mobility indicators, financial transactions and absenteeism during the exit phase. Volumes of metformin dispensing were used as an indicator for follow up of chronic treatment. Result(s): Community pharmacy drop out rose up to 3% in early April;but dropped afterwards and gradually went back to normal. Shortages of midazolam and oxygen were the most critical in ambulatory care. They were mitigated by the national task force. Dispensing data were shared with and processed by the federal scientific institution Sciensano. Results of the analysis were shared with the Group of Experts for the Exit Strategy (GEES). Metformin showed a stock piling peak the days before lockdown and an important drop afterwards. Conclusion(s): Dispensing data, collected by FarmaFlux, provided useful information to detect: community pharmacy drop out, medicines shortages in ambulatory care, follow up of adherence and early outbreak detection during the COVID19 crisis.