EAHP represents over 29,000 hospital pharmacists across 36 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 professionals.
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 of Germany 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.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Samantha HUYNH, Catarina GONCALVES BARROSO, Sophie PATERNOTTE, Sofia DA SILVA MENDES, Claire JUDEL, Elvire MARTIN-LEMAIRE, Georges NICOLAOS, Chloé DUPONT, Nicolas CORNILLET
Raising awareness and ongoing training of healthcare professionals is a crucial criterion for High Authority for Health certification. Flashpharma provides reliable information, particularly for night-shift nurses. This becomes critical in a context of reduced physician presence and absence of pharmacists, and the increasing presence of temporary nurses due to staffing shortages.
The pharmacy department developed FlashPharma, an innovative training tool to enhance medication management within healthcare units. For instance, it contributes by promoting the proper use of high-risk medications (HRM) and risky medications (RM) by providing information to care teams as close to the patient as possible.
A working group created eleven sheets based on literature and adapted to the practices of adult hospitalization departments. Validated by medical experts and institutional committees, they include points to watch and key figures. They link up with our institutional protocols, our prescribing software and the points addressed by the visiting experts during the mock certification. Accessible by flashing QR codes strategically positioned or on our web platform, they serve as a basis for discussion with caregivers. Trainers included pharmacists, a pharmacy intern, and a hospital quality manager. Anonymous written questionnaires were used to gather feedback.
Two QR codes are placed on automated dispensing cabinets and mobile medical carts, linking to sheets on MHR, RM, and guidelines for proper drug crushing and administration via an enteral feeding tube. Another QR code on refrigerators provides information on drug storage and temperature alerts management. A label provides information on drugs prescribed outside the booklet, with six therapeutic equivalence tables validated by doctors.
Three sessions were attended by nurses, healthcare managers, orderlies, and doctors (n=18). Fifteen (83%) participants strongly agreed, and 3 (17%) agreed that they acquired new knowledge. All participants would recommend these sheets; 16 (89%) strongly expressed their willingness to participate in a second session.
Positive feedback highlighted the need for further education in various hospital units. Feedback on the use of QR codes by day and night teams will be sought during subsequent sessions and quantified using analytical dashboards. Appropriate continuing education initiatives will be implemented in paediatrics, intensive care and operating room departments.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
LUCIA SOPENA, ALBERTO FRUTOS, VICENTE GIMENO, OLGA PEREIRA, RAQUEL FRESQUET, ARITZ MERCHAN, REYES GARCIA, PAULA GOMEZ, ALBERTO APESTEGUIA, MARIA ANGELES ALLENDE, TRANSITO SALVADOR
The growing technological development of pharmacy services involves the coexistence of traditional warehouses with automated medicine dispensing systems controlled by different computer programs. The information is split into different systems and databases giving rise to possible errors due to the greater complexity. This is a threat but also an opportunity for the hospital pharmacist to lead the development, review, and improvement of medicine use processes and the use of health technologies to improve quality of care, patients’ safety and reduce costs. KNIME data analysis covered the need of our Pharmacy Service to blend data from any source in a single file simplifying the process.
The Pharmacy Service of a university hospital has implemented Konstanz Information Miner (KNIME) data analysis and develop successful treatment project to optimise the stock management of several medicines.
An initial algorithm was designed by the union of seven files and can be executed at any time to obtain the updated data.
This file provides up-to-date information about the stocks, stock-outs, consumptions, orders and purchasing data of all medicines (average price, laboratory, date and number of orders, units to be received).
In addition, KNIME calculated the coverage time in days and months from weekly and monthly consumption, and the current stock in the warehouses, obtaining a global vision of highest turnaround pharmaceuticals drugs.
The program also allows to link and merge data of the list for shortages of medicines, supply disruptions and restocking time, and to improve the storing, delivering and administering of COVID-19 vaccines.
KNIME program has been especially important in our Pharmacy Service to get better care outcomes and more precise medication ordering, which allows significantly higher patient safety.
KNIME is a tool that could be successfully implemented and appropriately generalised as recommended to all Pharmacy Services that use different data sources and want to have a generalised view of the information. KNIME represents an advance in the stock and purchase management of medicines specialties to work more efficiently, which improve patient care and safety. Digital medication management also contributes to greener pharmacies by preventing unnecessary overstocking and thus excessive disposal arising from expired medications.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Andersen Lilli Moeller, Hansen Tove Solveig, Schnor Trine
The QMS for the hospital pharmacy did not previously include primary packaging systems regulated by MDR. These packaging systems are a prerequisite for supply to patients of vital medicines like Total Parental Nutrition (TPN) and ready-to-use products such as antibiotics, cytostatics and pain reliefs.
Several actions to combine Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Medical Device Regulations (MDR1) were implemented. Among others, comprehensive training programmes were conducted, and quality standards as well as supply chain mappings were included in Quality Management Systems (QMS).
A national strategic initiative was launched with actions decided in open dialogue with the Competent Authority and suppliers.
Priority was given to the most GMP-critical devices as TPN-bags and elastomeric pumps. Specifications were established and supply chains mapped.
To fast roll out competences across hospital pharmacies similar workshops with participation of a consultant with special competences within MDR were given.
Due to knowledge of the Supply Chain and extended cooperation with suppliers, a quick and effective reaction in relation to for example recalls is obtained.
Easier to explain suppliers how they can support our need for documentation to fulfill GMP related demands New clinical or political demands to ad-hoc compounding can be met fast and effective.
GMP related issues are part of a current national tender for elastomeric pumps.
More medical devices like transfer-sets, syringes used as utensils and gloves to be included in the supplier qualification program.
GMP related requirements to be a part of tenders on medical devices used as packaging systems.
Continued cooperation with suppliers to develop solutions in the interface between MDR and GMP.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
SUSANA SANCHEZ SUAREZ, JOSE ANTONIO VINAGRE ROMERO, MARIA ISABEL BARCIA MARTIN, CAROLINA AGUILAR GUISADO, MERCEDES GARCIA GIMENO
To keep occupational health and safety during a crisis in which healthcare settings were overloaded and facing a critical shortage of skilled professionals, due to sick leaves (2,75% of total cases), and for the need to maintain high quality of care processes. These were a big challenge that required to adapt operating procedures. In addition, and due to the effect of COVID-19 on the general population (overall incidence rate of 10.596 per 100,000 people) and in healthcare systems, the Spanish Ministry of Health (SMH) issued a technical document establishing a series of recommendations for COVID-19 infection prevention and control in patients medical assistance. This practice was designed to bring together national guidelines from the SMH that aimed to reduce COVID-19 impact, both in healthcare workers and general population, and meet ISO 9001:2015 requirements in SOP of a HP within a general hospital
In order to ensure safe systems of work (SSoW) in the hospital pharmacy (HP) during the COVID-19 pandemic, specific operating procedures (SOP) were adopted in order to prevent the risk of contagion in daily operations for both patients and staff, according to the norm ISO 9001:2015
Four critical areas were identified according to risk management: High-risk areas: Preparation Area (PA) and Outpatient Dispensing Area (ODA); medium-risk area: Pharmacy Administration Area (PAA) and Inpatient Dispensing Area (IDA). Some SOPs were developed within these areas: Autologous serum eye drops preparation in the PA, pharmaceutical care and medication dispensing in the ODA, pharmacy receiving in the PAA and medicines return from COVID-19 areas. Different circuits were implemented for users and professionals, as well as general information and procedures directed at patients and personnel, to prevent infection. The individual protection equipment required in each SOP/area was also established
No COVID-19 case has been reported due to patient-professional interactions or working location and tasks. All operating procedures have been revised to fully comply with SMH guidelines and ISO 9001: 2015 requirements mitigating risks and maximizing performance in such critical circumstances
Adapting SOP to any infectious disease outbreak that may occur in the future and establishing early-detection mechanisms
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Victorine MOUCHEL, Romy LINOSSIER, Chloé FERCOCQ, Jean-Luc PONS, Lucie BAILLET
Injectable anti-cancer drugs are critical drugs and production disruption would result in discontinuity of care. Moreover, 60% of the production is dedicated to external clients as part of outsourcing contracts. To strengthen client’s confidence, we achieved the ISO 9001 certification in 2019. Implementing a BCMS is part of the overall quality and resilience process.
In our hospital centre, production of injectable anti-cancer drugs is centralised in a chemotherapy preparation unit. Within the unit, we decided to implement a business continuity management system (BCMS). Therefore, we established and validated a business continuity plan (BCP) to face a production disruption and continue the delivery of products.
We followed the ISO 22301:2019 standard methodology. First, we performed the risk assessment as described by the ISO 22300: 2018 standard. A multidisciplinary working group (pharmacists, pharmacy technician, quality engineer) identified and analysed the risks likely to threaten the unit’s business continuity (BC). Risks were rated in term of criticality (Cr) from 1 to 4 and risks with Cr ≥ 3 were considered as priority risks. Then, a business impact analysis was led by the pharmacists and validated by the department chief. Strategies were set to face priority risks in accordance with the BC objectives. Finally, we documented the BCP and validated it thanks to tests followed by debriefing.
The risk assessment highlighted 23 risks and 13 of them (57%) were rated as priority risks. Most of the risks revolve around unavailability of production equipment or premises (fire, flood, natural disaster). The treatment of 7 of these risks was included in the action plan for 2021. Three strategies were documented to treat these risks: extended opening hours of the unit, closed system transfer device used in a contaminated isolator and production relocation in two other centres. Five tests were conducted to check necessary procedures and devices to use these strategies (closed system transfer device, remote access, transportation). Tests will be repeated yearly to maintain the BCP.
In conclusion, implementing a BCMS represents a continual improvement approach that will improve the unit’s ability to cope with a crisis in an appropriate way.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Hana Sakly
The pharmacy must assess its own activity in order to better manage, to structure, respond to needs. This assessment is necessary in order to measure the productivity.
The purpose of our work is to identify the key performance indicators for management and piloting a hospital pharmacy. The aim is to develop dashboards, a real management tool, for the management and monitoring of pharmaceutical activities in order to optimize performance and ensure continuous improvement.
The methodological basis of our study is based on a process-based management of hospital pharmaceutical activities. Our target is to achieve the same approach to these processes, within the various functional and concerned units, in order to harmonize and simplify the quantitative and qualitative monitoring of pharmaceutical activities.
Macroscopic cartography of pharmacy processes was established and the most critical processes were selected on the basis of a matrix. In total, eight key processes have been identified. The identity cards for these processes have been drawn up. Quality indicators have been identified. These indicators are intended to assess and monitor the processes. A first design of dashboards with the elements collected was proposed. This dashboard could evolve during the implementation of this project within the Pharmacy department.
These dashboards have to be finalized, validated and officially put into practice within the Pharmacy department. This methodology must be applied to the discipline of Clinical Pharmacy. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of the activities carried out within the pharmacy should be a subject for priority debate at the national level to finally find agreement on a relevant measurement tool.
Introductory Statements and Governance
Edoardo Calzavara, Elena Galfrascoli, Stefania Vimercati, Lorenzo Gambitta
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
