EAHP represents over 30,000 hospital pharmacists across 37 member countries. EAHP represents and develops the hospital pharmacy profession within Europe in order to ensure the continuous improvement of care and outcomes for patients in the hospital setting. This is achieved through science, research, education, practice, as well as sharing best-practice and responsibility with other healthcare professional
The EAHP Board, elected for three-year terms, oversees the association’s activities. Comprising directors responsible for core functions, it meets regularly to implement strategic goals. Supported by EAHP staff, the Board controls finances, coordinates congress organization, and ensures compliance with statutes and codes of conduct.
The EAHP staff supports the Board in executing EAHP’s mission. The Staff assists in financial management, events organisations, policy activities and all EAHP projects. The EAHP staff works closely with EAHP’s members and ensures the effective communication all relevant stakeholders.
The first member countries were Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands in 1972. EAHP has now 36 EAHP members and 2 Associate Members. EAHP is open to countries members of the Council of Europe and since 2022 to organisations representing the interests of hospital pharmacists from outside the Council of Europe (Associate Membership)
EAHP’s structure is also composed by different standing committes: EAHP Scientific Committee, EAHP Education Executive Committee and the EAHP CTF Steering Committee.
At EAHP, we are committed to transparency in our governance, ethical standards, and funding practices. This section provides open access to our foundational documents, including the EAHP Statutes, Code of Conduct, and Funding Sources. By sharing these resources, we aim to uphold accountability and foster trust with our members, partners, and the public.
Keep up with all EAHP’s events and webinars. Contact the team at info@eahp.eu should you have any questions about upcoming events or activities.
Here you can find all upcoming events organised by EAHP and by all its members and associate members. Do not hesitate to contact the events team at events@eahp.eu should you have any questions about the organisation of these events.
Hospital pharmacists conduct a critical role in the care of patients in hospitals. Learn more about what they do here and in all the pages under Hospital Pharmacy practice and Policy.
Self-Assessment
SILCC
Closed SIGs
EAHP brings together experts from many areas of hospital pharmacy practice providing and highlighting good local sustainable practices as that can be up-scaled and shared with other countries. The EAHP Working Group on Sustainability has the aim of reducing the environmental burden of the hospital pharmacy services.
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP), and its 36 member country platforms are creating a Common Training Framework for the hospital pharmacy education in Europe. The goal of this project is to allow the free movement of hospital pharmacists within the European Union.
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) have collaboratively developed the Oath to Society. The Oath to Society is all encompassing and acts as a contract for excellence in providing compassionate patient care, working as part of the healthcare team and advancing the pharmacy profession, and showcasing how clinical and hospital pharmacists work every day
A day created to highlight the importance and to celebrate the work done by hospital pharmacies. This day celebrates all hospital pharmacy teams.
Catch up with EAHP’s press releases
Find all EAHP relevant publication like the EAHP Surveys, annual reports and the history books.
The European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP) is the only official journal of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and is committed to advancing the science, practice and profession of hospital pharmacy. As the premier communication platform for hospital pharmacists worldwide, EJHP is a major source for continuing education as well as updates on advances in the practice and standard of pharmaceutical care for patients.
When EAHP and Hospital pharmacists appear in the news.
EAHP publishes a monthly EU monitor with updates about the latest EAHP initiatives and information relevant for the hospital pharmacy profession.
Sponsor Channel
The Sponsor Channel is designed to maximise visibility and engagement, allowing sponsors to connect with the hospital pharmacy community and partners in a dynamic and interactive environment. From product demonstrations to networking sessions, the Sponsor Channel offers a range of opportunities for sponsors to showcase their offerings and generate leads in the new EAHP Website.
| RISK ASSESSMENT OF STERILE PREPARATIONS PERFORMED IN THE HOSPITAL PHARMACY SERVICE |
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
A. HERREROS FERNÁNDEZ, P. FERNÁNDEZ-VILLACAÑAS FERNÁNDEZ, R. AÑEZ CASTAÑO, P. ORTIZ FERNÁNDEZ, M.A. MEROÑO SAURA, I. GARCÍA MASEGOSA, R. GUZMÁN LAIZ, P. SELVI SABATER, C. CABALLERO REQUEJO, L. RENTERO REDONDO, E. URBIETA SANZ.
The preparation of sterile magistral formulas involves significant risks due to complex processes, material handling, and sterility requirements. A systematic risk assessment was essential to identify vulnerabilities, classify risk levels, and implement preventive measures to improve safety and compliance with regulatory standards.
Sterile magistral formulas are personalized medications prepared in hospital pharmacy services to meet individual patient needs. In 2023, a risk matrix was implemented to systematically evaluate the risks associated with their preparation. This initiative aimed to enhance patient safety and ensure compliance with the “Guide to Good Practices for the Preparation of Medications in Hospital Pharmacy Services” (GGP).
Sterile magistral formulas prepared in the pharmacotechnics area of a hospital during 2023 were identified from a Microsoft Access® database. A Microsoft Excel® database was specifically designed to apply the GGP-based risk matrix, categorizing formulas into low, medium, or high risk. Each formula was evaluated across six key criteria: preparation process, route of administration, drug safety profile, number of units prepared, preparation vulnerabilities, and distribution process. Risk levels were assigned using a combination of letters (A-D) based on the matrix. Challenges included standardizing data collection and ensuring multidisciplinary collaboration to refine the matrix and ensure its applicability.
A total of 80 sterile magistral formulas were assessed. Of these, 38.75% were classified as medium risk, 36.25% as high risk, and 25% as low risk. Among medium-risk formulas, 67.7% included a “C” in the matrix, while 96.6% of high-risk formulas contained at least one “D.” The most frequent risk combinations were “BBAAAA” (11.25%) and “BBBAAA” (10%). The preparation process and administration route were the primary contributors to overall risk. Medium- and high-risk formulas, primarily intravenous mixtures of antibiotics and biological drugs, required preparation in a cleanroom environment, as recommended by the GGP.
This initiative demonstrated the value of a risk matrix in identifying and managing risks in the preparation of sterile magistral formulas. It represents a best practice model with significant potential for adaptation in other healthcare settings, enhancing patient safety and standardizing risk management in hospital pharmacy operations.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Marco Gambera; Alessandra Grotto; Isabella Martignoni
Periodic audits in hospital settings play a crucial role in identifying non-conformities and areas for improvement, ensuring that departments meet the required operational standards. During a routine inspection of the intensive care unit (ICU), the hospital pharmacy team discovered an outdated Y-site drug compatibility chart, which had not undergone prior review or approval. This non-conformity underscored the need for updated and reliable resources for managing drug compatibility in critical care settings. Addressing this issue became an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the pharmacy and the ICU, with the aim of improving patient safety and clinical workflows
The primary objective was to update and optimize the Y-site drug compatibility management in the ICU by revising the existing chart and educating the medical staff on real-time, evidence-based tools for accessing drug stability and interaction data integrating these tools into the daily practices of the ICU, ensuring that staff could access the most current information quickly and efficiently
ICU staff received dedicated training on using up-to-date software tools such as Stabilis, Micromedex, and Lexidrug. These tools provide real-time information on drug stability and interactions. Following the training, a comprehensive review of the ICU’s most frequently used medications was conducted and a new Y-site compatibility chart was developed, incorporating the latest stability data. The chart was tailored to meet the specific needs and operational practices of the ICU team, ensuring it was both practical and user-friendly
The revised chart and the associated training program significantly enhanced collaboration among healthcare professionals in the ICU, improving communication and awareness of each team member’s expertise. This project highlights the value of expanding the clinical role of hospital pharmacists, their expertise can directly improve patient care and support the management of complex drug therapies.
Further support measures will be implemented, such drug-specific tables outlining stability, interactions, storage, and handling instructions. These tables align with recommendations on medication management and provide an essential resource for clinical decision-making. The initiative not only enhanced the quality and safety of medication administration but also fostered a culture of continuous professional development and collaboration, ultimately benefiting the ICU’s clinical operations and patient outcomes
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
AMINE BAYEN, OUMAIMA KHARKHACH, HICHAM EL HORR, LHOUSSAIN ZARAYBY, SANAE DERFOUFI
It has been observed that within the gastroenterology, neurology, internal medicine, rheumatology, and dermatology departments, there exist inconsistencies and disparities. These include extended transportation times averaging 8 minutes, a lack of isothermal bags for transportation, and refrigerators not connected to the main hospital generator.
Strict adherence to storage guidelines is crucial, as any breach in the cold chain could compromise the drug’s therapeutic effectiveness, increase the risk of adverse effects, and lead to significant financial losses for healthcare institutions.
Ensuring optimal storage and transportation conditions for biotherapy drugs in various medical departments within a university hospital by assessing and improving cold chain compliance.
Implemented corrective actions and recommendations have been primarily directed towards minimizing transportation duration and procuring thermal bags for all departments handling biotherapy products. These initiatives encompass enhancing staff awareness in the cold chain process through sensitization campaigns and regularly evaluating refrigerator temperatures. Moreover, a strategic plan is underway to establish their connectivity to the generator system in the near term.
A notable reduction in the transportation time of biotherapeutic drugs has been achieved, decreasing the average duration from 8 minutes to 6 minutes. Additionally, the widespread adoption of thermal bags across audited departments has substantially bolstered the stability of biotherapeutic drugs, mitigating temperature fluctuations and enhancing patient safety. Moreover, our efforts in sensitising medical and pharmaceutical staff within these departments have yielded a significant increase in awareness and adherence to stringent cold chain protocols.
The inconsistencies and disparities identified during the assessment of the biotherapy drug cold chain within our hospital suggest a potential lack of adherence to procedural standards. This situation poses a considerable risk to patient safety, warranting further investigation and action.
Our focus will extend beyond the cold chain assessment to evaluate other pharmaceutical procedures. Specifically, we will investigate the adherence to autoclave sterility cycles for medical devices and the robustness of the preparation process for oncology medicines.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Adrian Viudez-Martinez, Ana Ramirez-Lopez, Javier Lopez-Nieto, Geronima Riera, Eduardo Climent-Grana
Medication errors harm at least 1.5 million people every year. According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practice (ISMP), ongoing errors with oral methotrexate (MTX) for non-oncologic use suggest that more needs to be done to reduce the risk of patient harm, especially considering its potentially severe side effects.
Identification and prevention of MTX-related medication errors for non-oncologic use by medication reconciliation at hospital admission. Analysis of errors’ type prevalence were also performed.
Design: prospective cohort performed in a tertiary hospital from September 2021 to April 2023.
Inclusion criteria: Inpatients with weekly methotrexate for non-oncologic use.
Intervention applied: medication reconciliation comparing inpatient’s e-prescription, clinical record, outpatient medication history and pharmacist-driven interview.
Data analysed: demographic data (age, sex, admission cause) treatment-related data (indication, methotrexate and folic acid posology, administration route, day of the week).
Out of 79 admission episodes (53.1 % men, median age: 72 years (range: 18-96 years), 63 (80% )were urgent.
Most patients had been prescribed methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis (n=56), but also for polyarthritis (n=9), psoriatic arthritis (n=8), pulmonary sarcoidosis (n=2), pemphigus (n=1), spondylarthritis (n=1) and Still syndrome (n=1).
Methotrexate doses’ frequency were: 15 mg (28.9%), 10 mg (27.6%), 20 mg (11.9%), 7.5 mg (9.2%), 25 mg (7.9%), 12.5 mg (6.6%), 17.5 mg (5.3%) and 5 mg (2.6%).
Medication errors were identified and prevented in 38 out of the 77 episodes recorded (49.4%). There were classified as follows: dose (38.5%), day (17.9%), dose and day (17.9%), dose and administration route (10.3%), omission (10.3%), administration route (2.6%) and lack of indication (2.6%).
Folic acid doses’ frequency was: 10 mg the day after MTX (47%), 5 mg the day after MTX (28%), 5 mg daily except the same day as MTX (17%), 15 mg the day after MTX (8%).
Medication errors were identified and prevented in 51 out of the 77 episodes recorded (66.2%). There were classified as follows: omission (38.8%), day (33.3%), day and dose (16.7%), dose (9.3%) and drug (1.9%).
Performing medication reconciliation in every admission, measuring its potential benefits using validated tools for clinical pharmacists’ intervention assessment, such as the CLEO tool, which can, ultimately, serve as preamble to objectively measure the pharmacists’ impact in healthcare efficiency and patients’ safety.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Esther Chamorro de Vega, Carmen Rodriguez Gonzalez, Belen Mayo Canaleja, María Pilar Montero Anton, Sergio Herrera Bermejo, Rosa Romero Jimenez, Vicente Escudero Vilaplana, Roberto Collado Borrell, Ana Herranz Alonso, María Sanjurjo Sáez
The profile of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) has changed. Patients are more active, autonomous and have greater information and communication needs.
Mobile health, especially apps, can help to healthcare professionals to optimize pharmacotherapeutic follow-up and provide patients greater autonomy facilitating communication with healthcare professionals and contributing to the humanization of their care.
Through this application we seek to achieve the following objectives:
– Allow patients to participate in their illness and/or treatment, promoting their compliance and safety and communication with the healthcare professional.
– Strengthen pharmacotherapeutic monitoring of patients receiving ART, avoiding visits to the emergency room and hospital consultations.
– Generate pioneering evidence on the impact of mobile applications on the pharmacotherapeutic monitoring of patients on ART.
FarMCuida® is a mobile application designed for a closer and better pharmacotherapeutic monitorization of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Through this app the patient can actively participate in his or her disease and treatment.
A multidisciplinary group was created to design and develop an app called FarMCuida® for patients on ART in a tertiary hospital. Once the app was designed and developed, we offered the app to patients starting or undergoing ART. Identification and inclusion of candidate patients was performed in the Pharmaceutical Care Consultation of the Pharmacy Service. The pharmacists responsible for the Infectious Diseases area performed real-time pharmacotherapeutic follow-up of the patients.
Records of adverse effect (AE) and Safety-related messages received (Adverse effects, interactions, drug administration) can be analyzed. All data can be exported from FarmCuida®. Informed consent is requested from all the patients included.
FarMCuida® was designed as a digital health mobile application that allows our patients to participate in their disease and/or treatment, promoting treatment safety, as well as making available a source of information and bidirectional communication, in real-time, between patients and healthcare professionals.
During a period of 13 months, a total of 152 patients were included in FarMCuida®. Seventy-two percent of the patients were diagnosed with HIV infection while 27.6% of them were included in the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis programme.
In AE module, 58 adverse events (AEs) were registered. Twenty-two percent of the patients registered at least one AE.
Thirty-two percent of patients used the Messages module to communicate with healthcare professionals.
One hundred and twenty-six telematic consultations were carried out. Two hundred and five messages were exchanged between the patient and the pharmacist.
Forty-three percent of the consultations corresponded to doubts about interactions: 66.7% interactions with other drugs, 28.5% with herbal products and 4.8% with vitamin supplements. Three type D interactions and one type X interaction were identified.
In addition, 11% of the consultations corresponded to doubts about the administration of ART while 5.2% were related to adverse effects experienced by the patient.
At least three visits to the emergency department were avoided, resulting in health care and economic savings for the health system.
Based on the limited studies on the impact of mobile applications on the pharmacotherapeutic follow-up of patients, the results obtained will allow us to generate evidence in this regard. It is worth highlighting the flexibility of FarMCuida® design, being easily adaptable to different pathologies and hospital centres.
Education and Research
RAQUEL AGUILAR SALMERÓN, LÍDIA MARTÍNEZ SÁNCHEZ, ANNA MARIA JAMBRINA ALBIACH, NEUS RAMS PLA, MANEL RABANAL TORNERO, MARIA ÀNGELS GISPERT AMETLLER, MILAGROS GARCÍA PELÁEZ, NÚRIA PI SALA, SANTIAGO NOGUÉ XARAU
HTDs in infants are defined as those that might cause severe or lethal poisoning in children. Some HTDs are considered “one pill killers”: those in which the ingestion of one unit, a single tablet or tablespoon, in an infant with a body weight of 10 kg, could be fatal. In Spain, there are 29 active ingredients (from seven therapeutic groups) considered “one pill killers”. Counseling and information are crucial activities developed by pharmacists that could help to avoid fatal intoxications.
A virtual and interactive course for pharmacists was designed to improve knowledge about highly toxic drugs (HTDs) in infants and potentially fatal intoxications. The education platform integrates microlearning and gamification methodologies, and the course could be followed via web or smartphone.
A group of experts, including toxicologist paediatricians and clinical pharmacists, carried out a literature review and determined the toxic dose for HTDs. They also determined the number of units (considering the most concentrated presentation) needed to achieve the potentially fatal dose in a 10 kg infant. A virtual microlearning platform (Snackson®) was chosen, and specific training content was designed. It will be offered to community pharmacists by our Catalan Ministry of Health.
This project has enhanced the collaboration between the group of experts and the Catalan Ministry of Health. An agreement has been signed, and, in this frame, the educational activity has been offered (Autumn 2023) to 250 community pharmacists.
A list of HTDs has been published (DOI: 10.1016/j.anpede.2020.02.007).
A video was recorded, addressed to the general population to inform them about the existence of HTDs. This video is a divulgation tool with recommendations to prevent drug poisoning and is periodically broadcast in the waiting rooms of health centers.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHDRte7Nr8&t=14s).
The next objective will be to evaluate the impact of the training activity on community pharmacists and the usability of the virtual microlearning platform. Future plans also include the expansion of this education tool to other regions in Spain, and to explore the application of microlearning methodology to other areas of knowledge.
Selection, Procurement and Distribution
Leonor Romero, Paloma Lozano, Veronica Canales, Vanesa Dechado, Marta Puebla, Ricardo Villarubia, Isamar Gomez, Estefanía Ramírez, Juan Rodríguez, Belén Soto
According to Directive 2011/62/EU, one of the measures is the inclusion in the secondary packaging of the drug of a Unique Identifier that allows the recognition of a unitary case at any point in the supply chain until it is dispensed to the patient. Another is the development of a European repository that allows the traceability of medicinal products for human use within the European market. In Spain, in accordance with Article 84.1 of Royal Decree 717/2019 of 5 December 2009, the SNSFarma Node was established as an instrument for technological integration and information exchange with the national repository known as the SEVeM.
The logistics company of our hospital aggregates several codes corresponding to the Datamatrix of the individual containers in an electronic file, in order to send the reading automatically to Spanish Medicines Verification System (SEVeM).
The shipment of the drugs and the electronic file will be linked by the Seria Shipping Container Code (SSCC), which will univocally guarantee traceability between the two. The Pharmacy Service staff receive the delivery notes by reading the barcode without the need to scan the Datamatrix of each container.
Since the implementation of this project between July 2023 to September 2023, a total of 61 delivery notes have been registered under the code aggregation system with 27 suppliers involved. The number of packages read was 2151.
This project ensures the automatic sending of readings to SEVeM and to facilitate the reception of delivery notes at the Pharmacy Services by barcode reading.
This has allowed pharmacy staff to save time in receiving delivery notes, to improve traceability of batches and expiry dates of medicines, to improve stock control thanks to the confirmation of quantities received and to verify the medicines in accordance with European regulations to fight medicine falsifications and ensure that medicines are safe and that the trade in medicines is rigorously controlled.
A limitation is the existence of suppliers that are not involved in this project since their delivery is not done through the logistics company. In these cases, the datamatrix reading must be performed on each container individually.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Vanesa Alonso Castro, Pablo Jimenez Moreno, Marta Alcaraz Borrajo, Angel Luis Mataix Sanjuan, Beatriz Casamayor Lázaro, Maria Dolores García Cerezuela , Cristian Rosas Espinoza, Beatriz Santos Mena, Estrella Maroto García, Beatriz López Centeno, Daniele Alioto, María Jose Calvo Alcántara
MTX is an immunosuppressor drug utilised in certain types of cancer and inflammatory diseases. Its dosage and frequency of administration varies depending on indication.
Throughout the years, medication errors (ME) have been reported at national and supranational levels where patients have received excessive doses (the most common being daily administration of the drug rather than weekly) with severe consequences for the patients, including death.
In our RHS, 222 ME related to MTX have been reported in the last 5 years,seven of them resulted in harm to the patient.
An integral strategy to ensure the correct prescribing of weekly Methotrexate (MTX) was developed in a Regional Health Service (RHS).
1st PHASE (May 2021):
a. Monthly reporting to prescribers of their patients affected by duplicated prescriptions or incorrect dosing instructions for review and amending. These reports are available on the IT platform that collates prescribing indicators.
b. Development and dissemination of training materials to correctly prescribe medications with non-daily dosing instructions in the RHS electronic prescription tool.
2nd PHASE (After two years of follow-up):
a. Request to implement ME prevention plans (MEPP) to the hospitals of the RHS.
b. Creation and dissemination of informative material for patients and/or caregivers, where the weekly dosing instructions is emphasized.
Incidence of MTX prescribing mistakes: When this strategy was implemented, prescriptions for 2388 patients had been identified as potential mistakes. 1 year later, the incidence had diminished by 78.1% (2146 cases were resolved, 242 were still active and 310 were new). 2 years later, the incidence remained stable with a reduction of 78.5% thoroughout the whole period and 514 patients affected (150 new MTX prescribing mistakes in the last year).
• MEPP implantation (2nd PHASE): In two months, six hospitals (17.6% of all) implemented a MEPP. The key strategies that should be included in the MEPPs were disseminated to all hospitals by our team.
Thanks to this strategy, MTX prescribing mistakes have fallen by 78.5% in two years. However, prescribing mistakes continue to be made, which demonstrates the need for continuous training and awareness raising among prescribers to prevent ME related to MTX.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Carla Noguera-Jurado, Alba Manzaneque, Gloria Molas, Genis Castells, Sandra Jara, Bernat Tenas, Jordi Nicolas
Bispecific antibodies (BA) have the ability to specifically bind two different antigens, thereby presenting specificity for two different cells. Among the toxicities associated with these drugs are cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immunoeffector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), the management of which requires multidisciplinary action. The purpose of this circuit is to ensure adequate management of these toxicities to guarantee patient safety.
Creation of an action plan for haematological patients treated with bispecific antibodies for the detection and proper management of their toxicities.
A multidisciplinary team formed by Pharmacy, Haematology, Nursing, Intensive Care Medicine and Neurology was created and the healthcare professionals involved were specifically instructed. Moreover, an action circuit was implemented for the detection and management of these toxicities, and a specific protocol was created for the preparation and dispensing of tocilizumab. The protocol contemplated: centralisation of the preparation in the pharmacy department (within the pharmacy hours) or preparation in the hospitalisation ward by trained professionals using a kit previously prepared by the pharmacist (containing drug, serum and closed system dispositive for the preparation and administration of tocilizumab outside pharmacy hours).
From July 2022 to August 2023, a total of five patients have been treated with BA in our institution (elranatamab (4/5), and teclistamab (1/5)), including clinical trials and compassionate use, for Multiple Myeloma.
Three patients presented grade 1 CRS in the first cycle of treatment, which was resolved with symptomatic therapy, with no need for tocilizumab administration in any case. In addition, one also presented grade 1 ICANS, which only required monitoring without treatment.
The availability of the toxicity management circuit, in addition to staff training, allowed toxicities to be detected and resolved early and, if tocilizumab had been needed, the circuit would have ensured its immediate availability.
The implementation of a multidisciplinary care circuit led by pharmacy and haematology guarantees the adequate management of toxicities associated with the treatment, ensuring the best quality of care for the patients and their safety.
Introductory Statements and Governance
Holly Jones, Nicola Vosser
Neonatal units were out of scope during the initial EPMA go-lives due to the complexities in prescribing and the specialist resource required for implementation. This project therefore brought neonatal units in line with all other areas, transitioning from paper drug charts to EPMA. In addition, it supported an ICS wide goal to align practice between trusts, standardising prescribing and facilitating effective use of digital systems in healthcare.
A neonatal formulary was developed on an existing Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) system shared by four hospital trusts that make up a regional Integrated Care System (ICS). This involved interdisciplinary collaboration and shared decision making to align practice and prescribing guidelines. Complex protocols included continuous variable rate drug infusions, intravenous fluids and parenteral nutrition.
Key guidelines were shared with a collaborative approach to identify and harmonise differences in local practice, including syringe volumes and dose calculation ‘factors’. The EPMA team (comprising specialist pharmacists and medicines management technicians) completed a thorough gap analysis of the existing adult and paediatric drug catalogue and managed all new build work for neonates. Clinical decision making and validation were multidisciplinary tasks with input from specialist clinicians, pharmacists and nurses. Training, go-live planning and implementation were led by the EPMA team.
A bespoke neonatal medication build has been successfully implemented, supporting safe and efficient prescribing in neonates across the ICS. The development provides the ability to prescribe medications and document administration clearly and safely, including adjustment of infusion rates. Clinical pharmacists have full visibility of this information and are able to accurately complete pharmacy reviews, interventions and verification. In addition, alignment of practice and standardisation of care has been reached across the ICS, with benefits to both staff and patients.
The neonatal build is updated and optimised based on feedback from users to maintain the usability and safety of the system. Development of electronic fluid balance charts for neonates, including drug infusion volumes, is also in progress. Details of the neonatal project are being shared with other UK hospital sites using the same EPMA system.
