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LEARNING FROM SARS-CoV-2 EXPERIENCE TO FACE FUTURE EMERGENCIES: ELABORATION OF A HOSPITAL PHARMACY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN

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European Statement

Introductory Statements and Governance

Author(s)

Edoardo Calzavara, Elena Galfrascoli, Stefania Vimercati, Lorenzo Gambitta

Why was it done?

The discovering of Coronavirus disease in 2019 and the subsequent outbreak in many countries and regions constituted in the first 5 months of 2020 a prominent issue worldwide: hospital pharmacists as well as other health care personnel were hit by pandemic emergency and faced a great challenge. We as hospital pharmacists had to cope with shortage of drugs, disinfectants, test and reagents, Intensive Care Unit medical devices, personal protective equipment. For this reason, we needed to start interventions to meet the needs of the front-line medical and nurse staff.

What was done?

We decided to start a self-auditing process, we aimed to realize an emergency preparedness plan and a procedure, created from our experience, which will be helpful to face future emergencies.

How was it done?

The starting point was our Hospital Pharmacy process map, which identifies all pharmacy activities. For each one, actions taken during the emergency were described. Regulations at local and national level were analysed together with literature and international statements about hospital pharmacist role during health emergency.

What has been achieved?

We developed a process map in which we split up pharmacy activities into five big areas:

1. DIRECTION AND COORDINATION: team communication, role and responsibilities definition (“role mapping”); multidisciplinary external communication with hospital management facilities;

2. LOGISTICS AND ADMINISTRATION (Purchase, management and distribution of medical products): an inventory of drugs, medical devices and diagnostics was created, especially for the ones essential to challenge SARS-CoV-2 health emergency;

3. RESEARCH, GALENIC, “PATIENT CARE”: therapeutic protocols, galenic preparation, studies, home-therapies distribution and communication with patients;

4. PHARMACOVIGILANCE: close monitoring of potential Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs);

5. REGULATIONS AND LEGISLATION: Updating and intra-hospital divulgation.

From this emergency process we created an emergency preparedness plan and an internal procedure, in which, for every activity area, we assigned specific roles and responsibilities and set operating instructions.

What next?

The emergency preparedness plan developed from our experience during SARS-CoV-2 emergency, will allow hospital pharmacists to anticipate, plan, and prepare strategies in case of future health emergencies, due to biologic infective agents. Our and other Hospital Pharmacies will be able to overcome priority drugs shortages, to set a drug home delivery service, to offer extemporary solutions, communicate and inform patients.

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