Keynote 1 – Patient empowerment through education

 

 

 

In healthcare the stakeholders are the physician, the nurse and the clinical or hospital pharmacist, all centred on the patient. In many countries the patient is the subject whereupon the care of the (para) medical staff is focused. But the patient is not only subject in this arena of health care; the patient is also a stakeholder or the case manager.

 

As patient safety is the main theme of this congress, the patient should have a prominent place. Patient safety is a very broad field, so it will be trimmed to a smaller degree. We will focus on medication safety and the role of the patient concerning this subject. Do we agree that the patient has his/her own responsibility? Modern techniques in communication, the internet, Wikipedia and other sources mean that the patient is often better prepared than the doctor. The patient’s role in regulatory bodies like the EMA and the PRAC (the former Pharmacovigilance working party) also has become more important. There is a role for Hospital Pharmacists to educate the patient in the field of drugs and the drug properties like efficacy and adverse events.

 

 

• To educate the patient on medication efficacy and side effects;

• To discuss with the patients their needs.

 

 

After the presentation the participant should be able:

 

• to recognise the patients needs on medication properties;

• to identify the patient as a stakeholder in Healthcare.