25 January 2016

The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) extends its warmest congratulations to its past President Dr Roberto Frontini on receiving the prestigious Donald E. Francke Medal at the annual Mid Year Clinical meeting of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. The award was presented in honour of his international efforts to promote medication safety and improve patient outcomes.

Dr Frontini, Director of Pharmacy at the University Hospital of Leipzig in Germany, served as President of EAHP from 2009 to 2015 in which time he oversaw numerous important international initiatives aimed at improving patient safety and outcomes through further leverage of the hospital pharmacy skillset within European health systems. Such initiatives included the 2014 European Summit on Hospital Pharmacy that brought together leaders of hospital pharmacy, patient organisations and other healthcare professional associations from around the world. The Summit concluded by agreeing 44 'European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy', which together set out a compelling vision for the profession to achieve, shared by the colleagues pharmacists work with, and the patients they serve.

On receiving the award, Dr Frontini reminded the audience that even in an age of unprecedented technological development, human leadership is still required to bring desired visions of the future into reality. Such leadership requires developing an immunity to the attractions of power accumulation, accepting but not being discouraged by the barriers to progress that can be presented, and placing trust in others to help deliver a vision. "The real judge of leadership in pharmacy is the level of benefit we achieve for our patients... Leadership is not accumulation of power and expression of vanity – it is responsibility." Dr Frontini advised.

Extending congratulations on behalf of EAHP and its national member associations, EAHP President Joan Peppard said: "In his time as EAHP President Roberto managed to create a lasting legacy in so many areas of our activity. This is evident especially in his clarification of the EAHP professional development mission through the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy. This award is an important public recognition of the international impact made by his constant dedication to the patient centred mission of the hospital pharmacist. We owe much to him, and are delighted by this international acknowledgement."

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 is available here.

2. Established in 1971, the ASHP Donald E. Francke Medal honors pharmacists who have made significant international contributions to health-system pharmacy. More information here and here.

3. A researcher in patient safety, Dr Frontini lectures on pharmacoepidemiology and economics, and has served as a trainer for pharmaceutical technology at the Chamber of Pharmacy, Hannover, Germany. Widely published, Dr Frontini has lectured and written about topics important to the global healthcare community, including the use of multidisciplinary hospital teams, the importance of collaboration between academia and hospital pharmacy, and medication shortages across Europe. Further information here.

4. 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.

5. Requests for interviews with Roberto Frontini and Joan Peppard can be made by contacting info[at]eahp[dot]eu | 00 322 741 2436