30 March 2016

The theme of hospital pharmacists as leaders was thoroughly explored during a packed three-day EAHP Congress in Vienna 16th to 18th March 2016. Hospital pharmacists as the driver for change in such areas as patient empowerment, combatting antimicrobial resistance, the enhancement of multi-disciplinary teams, and the introduction of new technologies was examined in speeches, seminars and workshops.

The Congress opened on the theme of patient empowerment, with a duet of a hospital pharmacist and a patient presenting further developments in the model of patient centred care that has taken place in Canada. Marie-Claude Vanier (hospital pharmacist) and Vincent Dumez (chronic disease patient) outlined how much healthcare professionals can learn from listening to the experiences of patients, as they are the health system experts on living with an illness.

A Synergy Satellite highlighted the role of hospital pharmacists in educating fellow healthcare professionals, payers and patients about biological interchangeability. With many new biosimilars coming to market in the future it is the expertise of the pharmacist as a source of reliable advice that will make the difference. Elsewhere, a record number of students registered for the Congress and took part in a dedicated programme on pharmaceutical care. Another Synergy Satellite examined the role of Ready to Use Drugs as a useful option for patient safety.

At the end of the Congress Armando Alcobia Martins from Portugal was awarded the 1st prize for poster submissions for his work on 'Double checking manipulations for complex and/or high risk preparations'. The EAHP-EPSA Student Science Award was presented to Slovenian Rok Barle for his manuscript on the control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with gastrointestinal tumours.

Speaking after the Congress, EAHP President Joan Peppard remarked:

"With 3,500 attendees from 73 countries registered for the event, the EAHP Congress is firmly established as the leading educational congress for hospital pharmacists in Europe. Our Scientific Committee has overseen another top class event covering so many issues of high public interest, such as combatting antimicrobial resistance, introducing new technologies, and fostering truly better partnerships with patients and other healthcare professionals.

The leadership message came across loud and clear and as we all return to our places of practice, the onus is on our profession to take up these challenges and for health system managers to support these improvements."

ENDS

For further information contact info[at]eahp[dot]eu | 00 322 741 6835

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 and its history here: http://www.eahp.eu/about-us

2. The EAHP annual Congress is the second largest hospital pharmacy education event in the world, attended by over 3,500 professionals from across the globe. The 21st Congress took place in Vienna from 16th-18th March and had as its theme: "Hospital pharmacists taking the lead – partnerships and technologies."

3. The 22nd Congress of the EAHP will take place in Cannes, France from 22nd to 24th March 2017. More information here: http://www.eahp.eu/congresses

4. Requests for interviews with Joan Peppard, photographs and any further information of interest to your publication and its readers can be made by contacting info[at]eahp[dot]eu