Access to the patient medical record among the top challenges for European hospital pharmacy

27 October 2015

The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) has today published new research revealing the common difficulty faced by hospital pharmacists across Europe in being able to enter medicines used onto the patient's medical record on admission. The profession also faces systemic problems in being able to contribute to the transfer of information about medicines when patients move between and within healthcare settings.

The findings are published in the results of a pan-European survey of hospital pharmacies that sought to gain a better understanding of perceptions, and the status of implementation, of the 44 European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy. The Statements were created in May 2014 in a unique collaboration between 34 national hospital pharmacy associations and a wide range of European patient, doctor and nursing associations. Together, they form the shared vision of what hospital pharmacy should be achieving in every European country to optimise patient outcomes.

Seeking to understand which of the 44 statements pose the greatest implementation challenges across Europe, the 5 statements which rated highest in this respect are:

  • Statement 4.4: The pharmacists in our hospital enter all medicines used onto the patient's medical record on admission.

  • Statement 4.5: The pharmacists in our hospital contribute to the transfer of information about medicines when patients move between and within healthcare settings.

  • Statement 6.4: The pharmacists in our hospital routinely publish hospital pharmacy practice research.

  • Statement 5.3: Our hospital uses an external quality assessment accreditation programme to assure our medicines use processes.

  • Statement 1.1: The pharmacists in our hospital work routinely as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Meanwhile, the results of the survey also revealed a positive picture in respect to the environment for achieving many other statements, including in relation to:

  • having clear processes within the hospital for the procurement of medicines (statement 2.1);

  • hospital pharmacists engaging in educational opportunities (statement 6.3); and,

  • hospital pharmacies taking responsibility for medicines logistics (statement 2.6).

Commenting on the findings, EAHP President Joan Peppard said: "When hospital pharmacists, patients, nurses and doctors created the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy we knew these were challenging, but much needed, targets. These survey results now show which statements are most challenging. Achieving improvement in respect to hospital pharmacist access to the patient medical record, and the pharmacist's ability to contribute to transfer of patient information between settings, requires system improvement. Health system managers and policy makers at the national and international level need to fully utilise the resource that is the hospital pharmacist : Use thehospital pharmacists skillset to help patients by opening up patient information systems to the pharmacist contribution."

ENDS

For further information contact info[at]eahp[dot]eu | 00 322 741 2436

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) is an association of national organisations across 34 countries representing hospital pharmacists at European and international levels. More information about the EAHP, its history, and the role of its general assembly is available here.

2. The 44 European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy are a set of hospital pharmacy practice standards designed to assist European health systems in ensuring safe, effective and optimal use of medicines in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams. The statements were formulated following an 18 month review process, which included two rounds of Delphi consultation with EAHP's 34 member country associations and patient and healthcare professional organisations. More information about the statements here.

3. In order to understand the status of implementation, and where practice development efforts should be best focused, EAHP, in collaboration with Keele University's Centre for Medicines Optimisation, conducted a benchmarking survey amongst European hospital pharmacists. The survey was conducted from January 2015 to March 2015, spanning 16 languages and 34 countries. A summary of the overall results of this survey is available here. Examination of the statements posing the greatest implementation challenge across Europe is available from p11 of the summary document.

4. The full text of European Statement of Hospital Pharmacy 4.4 is "All medicines used by patients should be entered on the patient's medical record and reconciled by the hospital pharmacist on admission. Hospital pharmacists should assess the appropriateness of all patients' medicines, including herbal and dietary supplements".

5. The full text of European Statement of Hospital Pharmacy 4.5 is "Hospital pharmacists should promote seamless care by contributing to transfer of information about medicines whenever patients move between and within healthcare settings".

6. P20 of the summary report reflects on those statements that survey respondents signalled to be less challenging in terms of implementation.

7. EAHP wishes to convey its gratitude to all hospital pharmacists who took time to complete the survey, and to the Survey Working Group, led by Petr Horak, for overseeing the process.

8. Requests for interviews with Joan Peppard and/or Petr Horak can be made by contacting info[at]eahp[dot]eu | 00 322 741 2436