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.
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.
Introductory Statements and Governance
Ane Hornbaek Mortensen
Previously, a quarterly report showing adherence to national treatment guidelines was issued to all hospital administrations in our region. It was their responsibility to forward this to the appropriate specialists/consultants. This often failed and even when it was done, our experience showed that it wasn’t read by the consultants. Consequently, prescription patterns didn’t change despite the report highlighting the wards that weren’t complying with the national treatment guidelines.
Short newsletters including graphs/tables showing the ward’s degree of adherence to national treatment guidelines were emailed to the chief consultant of the specific ward.
In our region a 6-person analytical team, which includes 3 hospital pharmacists, monitors adherence to national treatment guidelines issued by our national council for the use of expensive hospital medicines (RADS). Based on the results, the analytical team decides which newsletters to write. The hospital pharmacists in the analytical team are responsible for writing the newsletters and emailing them direct to the relevant specialist/consultant.
It seems as if the introduction of more targeted information has led to more rapidly changing prescription patterns. One example is oral iron chelating agents to hematological patients where a RADS guideline was issued recommending that all new patients should receive deferipron instead of deferasirox. This information was initially issued through the usual channels (via hospital administration) but no change in the use of deferipron/deferasirox was seen. This only happened after emailing a newsletter directly to the chief consultants of the three hematology wards in our region, showing the current use of deferipron/deferasirox and the potential cost reduction. Nine months and three newsletters later the percentage of deferipron use on the hematology wards increased from 2% to 27%, leading to a 22% cost reduction. Target was 25% deferipron (the guideline only covered new patients). The total increase in the percentage of deferipron use on hospitals in our region was 351% compared to an increase of between 0 and 19% in the other four national regions.
Continued and increased use of targeted communication in the health care system is required to ensure that specific information reaches the relevant players.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Sergio Plata-Paniagua, Alfredo Montero-Delgado, Jose Javier Arenas-Villafranca
Currently, with the extended use of social-networks (SN), information related to medication errors can be disseminated quickly and directly, and also provide interaction with professionals enhancing the information. This is very important to promote safety culture among health professionals to prevent medication errors.
Two hospital pharmacy specialists from two spanish hospitals created a project based on web 2.0 to broadcast information about medication errors and how to prevent them.
First step was to create a website in which we could post information related to medication errors. The main part of the website is the blog, where we develop all information that we consider interesting. The website also has other sections containing useful resources: photo gallery with examples of look/sound-alike drugs, infographics, educational information, information about the authors and a section where readers can share content with the authors.
Second step was to create accounts on SN to spread the information posted in the website and also for sharing original content. We chose Twitter and Facebook as ideal SN. Twitter allows sharing information quickly and concisely and also is used by a different groups of healthcare providers by allowing us a wide spread. On the other hand, Facebook allows us to reach to a different audience, especially patients.
-Currently we have more than 16.000 followers on Facebook, 5.500 on Twitter and the website receives more than 3.500 monthly visits.
-Because of the multiple warnings that we have carried out about Look-Alike/Sound-Alike drugs, some pharmaceutical companies have considered changing the packaging of their drugs.
-We have achieved more than 70.000 signatures on change.org website requesting Spanish healthcare authorities to develop guidelines for the proper packaging and labeling of drugs. Because of this initiative, the Spanish press became interested in this problem and our project and the problem of drug packaging was mentioned in multiple media.
Currently, we have included another pharmacist in our project in order to enhance the quality and periodicity of our publications. On the other hand, we are trying to work together with institutions dedicated to preventing medication errors to carry out joint projects in order to improve patient safety.
Education and Research
F. Reidy, M. Duggan, A. Mathew, G. Duignan, S. Nasim, H. Ryder, B. Giblin, B. O’Connell, J. Corcoran
The management of patients on oral anticoagulant drugs in the perioperative period has become confusing due to the introduction of:
– Newer oral anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs
– Increased number of day case surgeries and early discharge, leading to lack of optimum care of patients, with anticoagulation and thrombophylaxis measures being undermanaged, resulting in prolonged hospital stays and cancellations of procedures.
Following informal discussions with pre-assessment clinic (PAC) nursing staff, anaesthetists, pharmacists and surgeons, an evidence based management plan for thrombophylaxis and anticoagulation in the perioperative period for surgical patients was developed comprising of:
Thromboembolism risk assessment and bleeding risk stratification tool, to risk stratify all patients being admitted for surgery.
Prescribing guidelines on the management of anticoagulant drugs in the perioperative period.
Patient information leaflets on the management of anticoagulant drugs and thrombophylaxis measures pre and post procedure.
Preprocedure and discharge pharmaceutical plans to facilitate patients’ anticoagulation drugs to be managed effectively in the community.
Draft guidelines were disseminated to relevant staff and an opportunity was given for feedback over a period of 1 month. Following these recommendations, the guideline was introduced at the weekly surgical meeting. Information was then disseminated to the relevant departments.
One year later an audit demonstrated that these guidelines provided clarity with the decision making process regarding anticoagulation and thrombophylaxis, resulting in improved patient safety outcomes in the perioperative period. The need for educational training on the guidelines and simplification of the risk assessment tool was highlighted.
• Patients’ anticoagulation needs pre and post procedure can be managed with clear instructions in the perioperative period across the hospital/community interface.
The tool will be adapted to help with the decision making process regarding anticoagulation and thrombophylaxis for medical patients.
The complexities of perioperative anticoagulation are addressed in a simple way that the development of an App would benefit patient safety.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
A. Valladolid-Walsh, E. Domingo-Chiva, P. Cuesta-Montero, J.A. Monsalve-Naharro, E.M. García-Martínez, S. Plata-Paniagua, M.D. Pardo-Ibañez, G. Romero-Candel, J.M. Jiménez-Vizuete, R. Peyró-García
To determine the incidence of medication errors in our environment and implement enhancement systems to prevent them, which is a priority for the improvement of the drug treatment process in critically ill patients.
A clinical pharmacist was integrated on a full time basis into the multidisciplinary team of an anaesthesia intensive care unit (ICU).
The project was carried out in 3 different stages:
– First stage: a prospective observational study was carried out over 1 month to detect medication errors in anaesthesia ICU and to determine the baseline situation before the pharmacist´s intervention. During this stage, 36.27% errors were detected in overall treatments.
– Second stage (intervention stage): Over 10 months, the pharmacist reviewed the prescriptions of all patients admitted to the anaesthesia ICU, performing the appropriate interventions regarding medications. Furthermore, to educate physicians and nursing staff, we organised educational meetings, and also pharmacotherapeutic protocols and guidelines of medication administration were created to standarise clinical practice. Finally, a system for reporting medication errors was introduced.
– Third stage: a prospective observational study was carried out for 1 month to detect medication errors after the pharmacist’s intervention. During this stage, 5.9% of errors were detected in overall treatments.
– Medication errors were reduced by more than 30%.
– A pharmacist is now part of the multidisciplinary team in the ICU.
– The experience has been broadcast to the national level to promote the implementation of clinical pharmacist activities in our environment.
We are still working on the same areas to improve safety in drug therapy in critically ill patients. Currently, improvement measures that are being developed are: new pharmacotherapeutic protocols specifically for this unit; drugs and drug-diluent compatibility guidelines; new training sessions; standarised medication kits in operating rooms and implementation of the computerised prescription; and a new labelling system for syringes.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
S. IBAÑEZ GARCIA, C.G. RODRIGUEZ-GONZALEZ, A. GIMENEZ-MANZORRO, E. CHAMORRO DE VEGA, R. COLLADO-BORELL, E. LOBATO-MATILLA, A. DE LORENZO-PINTO, M. TOVAR-POZO, A. HERRANZ-ALONSO, M. SANJURJO-SAEZ
CHC affects approximately 3% of the world’s population. The development of well tolerated and effective AADs has changed the therapeutic landscape. These therapies have a high efficacy with a good safety profile. Numerous challenges in terms of patient education, monitoring, medication errors, drug interactions and adherence exist. Our National Health System launched a strategy plan for proper CHC management in April 2015, establishing, among other things, measures to optimise AAD use.
We have developed a pharmaceutical care programme.
I. The following protocols were defined:
– A case selection and treatment guideline, following the recommendations from health authorities.
– A protocol for the management of drug interactions.
– A protocol with recommended dosages and administration techniques.
– A protocol with potential adverse drug events and recommendations about how to prevent and manage them.
– A protocol about clinical interview to ensure patient literacy and co-responsability.
– Patients information leaflets.
II. The pharmacy department was provided with:
– 3 full time pharmacists.
– 2 patient information offices.
– a queue management system.
III. Appointment scheduling:
Pharmacy visits were scheduled after the hepatologist/infectious disease specialist appointments every 28 days.
IV. The clinical interviews were documented in the electronic health record.
A multidisciplinary team was formed with two hepatologists, one infectious disease specialist, three clinical pharmacists and one nurse to:
– Address the key points associated with the safe and efficient use of AADs.
– Create a useful clinical guideline.
– Identify staffing and logistics needs.
No of patients included in the programme: 674
No of initial visits: 674
No of follow-up visits: 1750
No of patients attended/day: 19.9
No (%) adherent patients at the end of treatment: 412/412 (100%)
No of pharmacist interventions: 195
No (%) pharmacist interventions accepted: 194 (99%)
Average waiting time to be attended by the pharmacist: 15 min
No of queries made to the hospital pharmacist: 84
No of adverse drug events reported to the pharmacovigilance centre: 31
Cost savings (€): 121 194
This initiative provides a set of recommendations regarding CHC management and a support guide to standardise and guarantee high quality pharmaceutical care.
The next step is to develop pharmaceutical care programmes for the management of other pathologies following the same methodology that we have used for this initiative.
Production and Compounding
The preparation of cytotoxic drugs perfusions can be accompanied by errors that can be fatal to some patients. Several methods were tested to minimise the risk of errors associated with reconstitution of cytotoxic perfusions (camera, HPLC, analytical balance, the presence of a second technician to monitor his colleague). All of these methods can be expensive and are not available to all hospital pharmacists.
We present a simple and effective method that we have developed in our hospital to solve the problem of reconstitution errors.
Errors of cytotoxic drugs reconstitution can have catastrophic consequences for patients. Some studies have found that the incidence of major and minor errors were, respectively, 0.19% and 0.26%. Reconstitution control methods are numerous but not always accessible to all hospital pharmacists and preparers, particularly in developing countries.
This work involves the development of a computer application developed from an Open Source voice recognition software. The daily chemotherapy protocols are entered in the application that dictates to a technician the protocol prescribed by the physician, product by product, for all patients. The technician performs the cytotoxic preparations in the order in the centralised pharmaceutical unit for the preparation of cytotoxic drugs and he communicates with the application manually or by speaking.
The application begins with the patient’s ID, name and surname, the first drug, the dosage, the dilution solution and the volume of this solution. Then, it passes to the second product and so on. In the case of an observation, the application warns the technician to take this observation into account.
This application has helped provide better assistance to the technicians and pharmacists in the reconstitution of cytotoxic drugs, and no event or error has been detected to date.
To make a large number of reconstructions using this application to assess its effectiveness and install it in other hospitals who handle cytotoxic drugs.
Introductory Statements and Governance
T. DIMITROVSKA MANOJLOVIKJ
To highlight the classification of this drug, its dangerous side effects even to those patients not receiving it, due to intoxication when handled inappropriate, and the precautions and measures that should be undertaken to minimise the risk/danger of occupational exposure and environmental pollution with inappropriate managing of the waste and spill.
These 4 written statements were created: (1) Notification/instructions for handling cytotoxic agentS, (2) instructions for hygienic use of the toilets by patients receiving cytotoxic therapy and disposal of toxic waste on gynaecology and obstetrics wards, (3) instructions for a woman receiving methotrexate injection and (4) standard operating procedure for intramuscular application of methotrexate for nurses in the gynaecology-obstetric ward.
All statement were copied and disseminated to all departments on the ward. In November 2014 during verification of daily drug supplies to the gynaecology-obstetrics ward, I detected a package of methotrexate injections in the transporting container together with other drugs. I immediately contacted the head ward nurse and took control of the handling of the drugs on the ward, especially in the department for pathological pregnancy. The young departmental nurse responsible nurse was not aware of the classification of nethotrexate as a hazardous cytotoxic drug that should be handled with special care. Even though a drug is not given for cancer, it should still be treated as hazardous. Explanations were given to all those present at the time: nurses, gynaecologists and hygiene maintenance staff in the department.
Difficulties in persuading departmental staff of the occupational hazard, intoxication by other patients not receiving the drug and environmental pollution, particularly the danger of extravasation in this class of drugs when handled inappropriately, were overcome by repeating the explanations several times and disseminating the 4 statements.
Appropriate handling of cytotoxic drugs, improvement in patient care and protection from pollution of the environment.
Frequent controls on drug handling on all hospital wards for prevention of irregularities and to ensure safe medicines application.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
.
.
.
.
.
Education and Research
Susanna Saano, Tiina Koskinen, Hillevi Rautiainen, Minna Taam-Ukkonen
Selection, Procurement and Distribution
T. De Rijdt
Medication errors find their origin mostly in prescribing, transcribing and administration of medication. Only 4 % of the errors occurs in the pharmacy process. As we covered the major reasons by deployment of a electronic prescribing system with decision support and bedside scanning before administration the next step in augmenting patient safety is preventing dispension errors in the pharmacy.
All medication orders from the electronic prescribing system are revised by a hospital pharmacist for appropriateness and send to a set of handheld barcode scanners for guiding the pharmacy technicians through the picking process. They identify themselves, the ship label, the picking location and the medication by scanning. The scanner checks if the right drugs are dispensed for the right patient.
Due to bedside scanning all orders are electronically available and all medication have barcodes on the single dose. All locations are barcoded for reasons of replenishment of stock. By simply sending the orders to handheld terminals it’s a small effort to verify the picking.
All electronic medication orders are checked by barcode scanning or a second hospital pharmacist resulting in a diminishment of picking errors to (nearly) zero. We can show an online status of the medication order to nurses and physicians and we shifted pharmacist time from checking drugs to checking appropriateness of therapy.
In a next step we will also check retour medication by barcode scanning preventing possible misplacement.
