Ensuring Your Safety: Insights from European Hospital Pharmacists

This text is based on the Position Paper on Patient Safety Hospital pharmacists – making the difference by improving medication safety, Originally published by the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists in October 2020

When it comes to health, patient safety is a top priority. The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) is highlighting the crucial role of hospital pharmacists in making sure patients get the best care possible. They focus on keeping medications safe, emphasizing the need for tools like single unit dose barcoding and quality control committees to prevent errors and improve overall health outcomes.

EAHP suggests adopting closed-loop medication management, a term for a smart way to make sure patients get their medicine quickly and accurately. This step is a big leap forward in ensuring safety during treatment. The association also points out the importance of hospital pharmacists during transitions in patient care. They ensure that medication information is transferred accurately from one phase of care to another.

Making sure patients and healthcare teams are on the same page about medications is crucial. EAHP calls this 'medication concordance', which is all about tailoring care to each patient and ensures everyone involved communicates effectively. To make this happen, having enough hospital pharmacists on hand is vital.

EAHP also stresses the importance of teamwork among healthcare professionals to reduce problems related to medications and enhance overall safety. Finally, they emphasise the universal use of infection prevention and control measures in healthcare settings. In simple terms, EAHP strives for collaboration to ensure patient safety and improve healthcare experience in European hospitals.

This text is part of the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) repository of best practices and innovations to address the cancer workforce crisis in Europe. You can find more examples of best practices here.