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.
The Early Career Network aims to empower early-career pharmacists by sharing opportunities, insights, and success stories from across 25 member countries.
Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected hospital pharmacy community: one story, one country, one pharmacist at a time.
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.
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.
Introductory Statements and Governance
Michael Scott, Glenda Fleming, Catherine Harrison
There is a wide recognition that there are significant issues with regard to the issue of medicines, such as the fact that 30−50% of medicines are not taken as required. Thus the DoH decided to set up MOIC as a vehicle to focus activities in order to address this issue and optimise medicines use.
A Regional Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre (MOIC) was set up in 2015 by the Department of Health (DoH) in Northern Ireland as a key enabler for the Government policy document namely the Medicines Optimisation Quality Framework.
The DoH requested the Northern Health and Social Care Trust to locate the centre within the Trust based on the fact that there had been a long standing academic practice centre with the School of Pharmacy at Queens University of Belfast. Barriers that had to be addressed were highlighting the regional nature of the centre, to get engagement with all sectors of the service and building relationships with other key organisations, including the private sector. Initial core funding was provided by the DoH.
MOIC has successfully evaluated improved systems with regard to hospital pharmacy such as doctor-light discharge (90 minutes faster), post-discharge telephone follow-up (30 day readmission rate reduced by 9.9%), and medicines optimisation in older people service in care home settings (reduced Emergency Department attendances and medicines costs). In addition MOIC has been successful in 3 EU funding bids relating to medicines optimisation and has published over 30 papers. It has also been accredited as a Statement Implementation Learning Collaborative Centre (SILCC) site and also a Centre of Excellence by the Spanish Hospital Pharmacists Association. MOIC has also successfully worked with the private sector including pharmaceutical, device and technology companies. It has also been accredited as a knowledge provided by Invest NI.
MOIC has delivered on its key initial objectives, related to medicines optimisation with good collaborative work across health, academia and commercial organisations, in the UK and Europe. It will have a key role in meeting the WHO Global Challenge of reducing medication-related harm by 50% by 2023 for the region and further optimising medicines systems.
This approach with government policy support could be relatively easily established in any other region.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Dora Mueller, Maria-Theresia Pichler, Karin Kirchdorfer, Kora Koch
Prior to the implementation, insufficient time resources did not allow for clinical pharmacy services (CPS) on all surgical wards. Existing cover was not efficient or effective as drug-charts were often not available or patients discharged before pharmacy suggestions were implemented. The integration of the CPS into the centralised admission process instead of the wards resolved these shortcomings and facilitated pharmacy input to all surgical patients using this admission process.
A central surgical admissions process was launched at a 450-bed teaching-hospital in April 2018 in which patients are seen five days before surgery by an interdisciplinary team. A new clinical pharmacy service (CPS) was implemented on-site to review patients’ medical history comprising three consecutive steps:
1. Medicines reconciliation is completed based on existing patient-consultation records.
2. Recommendations for switching drugs to the hospital formulary on admission are noted on the drug chart.
3. Medication review is carried out to improve inpatient medication safety, and changes are communicated to medical staff via e-consult.
This proactive concept highlighting the advantages of interdisciplinary CPS and reflecting international evidence (e.g. patient safety, patient care, workload reduction for medical and nursing staff) convinced hospital management of its need. Resource implications included allocation of a pharmacy office on-site, development of a standard operation procedure and support for interdisciplinary teamwork on-site.
Between April and September 2018, records of all patients using the new process (n = 1527) were reviewed by a clinical pharmacist. At least one drug-related recommendation was made for 38.6% (n = 589) of all patients taking medication. This development enhances the clinical pharmacy workforce at our hospital and contributes to the quality of the admission process. Feedback from medical and nursing staff, hospital and quality management was positive throughout. We observed an improved level of awareness, higher numbers of requests for other CPS and a better understanding of the clinical pharmacists’ role within the healthcare team.
This initiative reflects how CPS can be expanded and optimised by seizing the opportunity and using existing resources. This model may be adapted for other hospital inpatient settings.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Gregorio Romero Candel, Paula Ruiz Belda, Carmen Caballero Requejo, Maria Jesus Sanchez Cuenca, Jose Marco del Rio, Juilan Castillo Sanchez, Luna Carratala Herrera
Some drugs dispensed in the outpatient office present interactions with food, leading to changes in their bioavailability. These changes which can result in a decrease in therapeutic activity or an increase in adverse effects, when dealing with narrow therapeutic margin drugs, may lead to alterations in their efficacy and/or toxicity. Developing the quick and accessible consultation table, we improved the quality and effectiveness of the treatment.
Preparation of the drug and food interaction guide for outpatient consultations.
The technical specifications of all drugs that are dispensed in the hospital outpatient office were consulted, and the possible interactions with food of every one of them were analysed by consulting the following electronic databases: Technical sheet, Bot Plus, Micromedex, Pubmed, UpToDate and Online Medicine Information Centre of the AEMPS. A database was developed with drugs that presented some type of restriction with meals, designing a quick reference table for outpatient consultation.
One-hundred specialities were reviewed, of which 22 were to be taken without food, 43 with food and 35 could be taken with or without food. The information given to the patient was quick and efficient, improving the effectiveness and safety of the treatment.
Our goal is to continue developing tools that allow us to provide quality information to the patient, improving the effectiveness and safety of treatments.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
VERA DOMINGOS, VERA PIRES, SÍLVIA SANTOS, PATRÍCIA TRINDADE, ANA INÁCIO, ELZA CANDEIAS, SUSANA SIMÕES, PAULO PAIXÃO, NUNO MIRANDA, ANTÓNIO GOUVEIA
Personalized BU dosing is considered because BU has a narrow therapeutic index and exposure have been associated with important clinical outcomes. High exposures have been associated with an increased risk of toxicities (acute graft-versus-host disease and veno-occlusive disease) and low exposures with graft rejection and relapse.
For this reason, in a multidisciplinary working group, we identified an opportunity to improve the treatment of your patients.
Implementation of a TDM procedure for Busulfan (BU) in conditioning therapy for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Study variability in PK parameters and evaluate TDM efficacy. From this initial period, we perform TDM on all patients under Bu conditioning.
The steps followed were:
1. Pre-implementation: bibliographic research, identify reference centers to perform BU plasma assay. Development and validation of a LC-MS / MS method by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine. PK analysis using ADAPT-5 software.
2. Pilot: Trial and assess the feasibility of the procedure. Cross-validation of the results with UMC Utrecht.
3. Implementation: clinical practice, doing the necessary dose adjustments. Prospective collection of clinical and PK data.
The main obstacle is the lack of analytical methodology in our center and the turnaround time.
We performed a preliminary analysis with 21 patients. Mean clearance (CL) was 0,19L/h*kg±0,05L/h*kg and volume of distribution 0,65L*kg±0,22L*kg. Body weight was the most predictive covariance.
CL was significantly different between patients 10 years old (p = 0,024) and over treatment (p=0,0191). The type of conditioning regimen didn’t show relation with the BU CL (p=0,0514).
TDM increased the number of patients with an optimal exposure (target AUC ±10%) from 42% to 83%.Dose was reduced in 10 patients (max 37%) and increased in 3 (max 19%). 1 patient maintained the prescribed dose.
TDM increased significantly the number of patients with optimal exposure to BU.
This procedure is pioneer at a national level and it relies on a strict protocol which includes collaboration with several hospital departments and other highly-specialized external centers. This can be used as a tool for other drugs and to empower the pharmacist as an active agent in the clinical setting.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Antonios Markogiannakis, Georgios Pegkas, Calliope Allagianni, Stavroula Efstathiou, Despoina Makridaki
The term of AST has been introduced in Greek legislation since 2014 and should become the driving force to optimize antimicrobial therapy, especially for the protected antibiotics (PA): carbapenems, colistin and tigecycline. Unfortunately Greece ranks first in Europe in the consumption of the mentioned PA in hospitals, consequently the activation of AST constitutes national priority. The existing law frame defines that AST consists of four key member physicians (experienced in infectious diseases) plus the hospital pharmacist as coordinator of the group. As the number of serving pharmacists in Greece remains critically low, very few hospitals have actually activated the AST. The Panhellenic Association of Hospital Pharmacists (PEFNI) decided to organize regional meetings to enhance the involvement of pharmacists by sharing the practice of experienced colleagues running antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP) in their hospitals since fall of 2016.
We have described the sequential steps for the establishment of multidisciplinary Antibiotic Stewardship Team (AST) in Greek hospitals and prepared training material to increase involvement of hospital pharmacists.
We combined the strategies and procedures implemented in the three hospitals during last year, in a flowchart presenting the establishment, activation and feedback of the AST. We have developed an ASP for hospitals, with initial target to minimize the use of PA:. Functional options in each step have been described, making it flexible for the colleagues to selectively implement them in their hospitals. We also created specific educational material to use in regional meetings that PEFNI organizes.
The application of ASP and the education of hospital pharmacists as coordinators results in: • Reliable reporting of controlled use for the PA • Safer antimicrobial management practice • Economy on restricted pharmacotherapy budgets • Acknowledgement of the critical role of pharmacists by other healthcare professionals, the hospital manager and the authorities
• The basic flowchart can be broadened to include subsequent stewardship activities such as recording proper surveillance of more classes of antibiotics, assessment of antimicrobial surgical chemoprophylaxis and/or antifungal pharmacotherapy.
• Connection of local ASP reports to a national network for all hospitals will help towards the creation of a real-time antibiotics’ consumption database in Greece.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Gösta Lööf, Malin Kuno Edvardson, Jessica Loayza, Louise Furubom
According to national guidelines, 60-70% of women >50 years with a fragility fracture should receive treatment to prevent further consequences of osteoporosis. In Sörmland, only about 16% of eligible patients received such treatment in 2015. To increase this number it was decided to start a coordinator-based FLS. CPs were chosen as coordinators since they were already integrated members of the health-care team at the clinic, conducing medication reviews, with the required competence to assess patients and suggest suitable medication therapy for osteoporosis.
By initiative of the county task force for osteoporosis in the county of Sörmland, Sweden, a project with a fracture liaison service (FLS) with clinical pharmacists (CPs) as coordinators was developed in collaboration with the orthopedic clinic at one of the region´s hospital; Mälarsjukhuset.
The project was initiated in December 2015. The CPs were given permission to send electronic referrals to DXA to be performed and to the general practitioners (GPs) for further investigation and initiation of treatment for osteoporosis. The CPs identified eligible patients at the orthopedic ward and at the emergency department (ED). The CPs visited and interviewed patients treated at the ward while patients treated at the ED instead received a phone call or a letter, to get information regarding their risk factors. Thereafter the CPs decided how to proceed; referral to DXA, referral to a GP or no further investigation or actions. For patients treated at the ward, the CPs would discuss their findings with the orthopedist on duty.
For patients included from December 2017 to October 2016, the percentage of who received treatment has raised to at least 25%. For about 50% of the patients, a full year has not yet passed since the date of fracture so the result may still improve. According to two small surveys, the orthopedists and the GPs are very positive to the new service and want it to continue.
Because of the success, the service will be permanented and implemented thoroughout the county. Opportunities to further improve FLS have been identified continuously and changes made accordingly to reach the goal of 60-70% treated patients.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Caroline Hynes, Dolores Keating
Psychiatric intensive care is for patients who are in an acutely disturbed phase of a serious mental disorder. Psychotropic medicines play a pivotal role in the treatment of these disorders which is why the pharmacist is a key part of the patient care team. The introduction of a designated pharmacist to address not only the clinical needs of the PICU team but also the medicines information needs of the patient was essential to optimise patient outcomes.
A liaison pharmacist was assigned to the psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) to provide both a clinical pharmacy service including regular medication chart review and development of patient-centred clinical guidelines, and to provide medicines information and support directly to patients.
The main obstacle to the introduction of this initiative was establishing a relationship with patients, as visible pharmacist interventions were new to patients on the PICU. In order to overcome this obstacle, the pharmacist was required to be present on the unit and regularly meet patients to enquire about their experience of taking medicine for their mental health and provide information as required.
• The pharmacist hosts a weekly medicines information group on the unit where; medicines are discussed openly, patients are provided with medicines information leaflets and medicines charts detailing all of their current medicines and what they are for, and those taking antipsychotics are systematically assessed for side-effects
• The pharmacist carries out a regular clinical pharmacy review where medication charts are clinically assessed and any interventions are relayed to the relevant consultant psychiatrist and registrar
• The pharmacist develops new patient-centred guidelines for use on the PICU e.g. Guidelines on the pharmacological prevention and management of violence or aggressive behaviour
By having an awareness of the patient experience of their medicine (especially side-effects) through regular contact at the medicines information groups, the pharmacist is in a position to provide more informed clinical advice to the PICU team. This patient-centred approach to the clinical pharmacy service could be transferred to any healthcare setting where the pharmacist can link directly with both patients and their multidisciplinary team.
