Basel Statement Self-
The Basel Statements (and translations) represent our vision for the future of hospital pharmacy. Posted in October 2020, the self-assessment tool has been completed by several people from around the world. The below map shows usage as of Jan 2021, by country. We encourage use of the tool to determine how your hospital compares to the practice goals identified in the Basel Statements.
Hospital pharmacists, pharmacy departments, and hospital pharmacy organizations can use the results of the self-assessment tool to compare themselves to other like hospitals and create programs for improvements. These improvements can be done as a single pharmacist’s practice, as a department, or as a group. We’d love to hear how you plan to use the self assessment tool and are interested in your needs regarding hospital pharmacy practice. What else can the FIP Hospital Pharmacy Section do to help you improve your practice?
To take a self-assessment survey of your hospital’s pharmacy services compared to the Basel Statements please go to https://fiphsa.com. Put yourself on the map!
Pharmacists facing the COVID-19 pandemic: The Philippines experience
COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people does things including how pharmacists deliver their services to the clients or the patients. The Pharmacists shined more than ever and continue to be essential front liners providing services amidst the pandemic, including TRIAGE services.
In the Philippines, the Pharmacists serve e-prescriptions in response to the legitimization of telemedicine. They offer home deliveries to clients specially to the chronic patients and the elderly, while attending and serving patients who come to the pharmacy for the management of their minor ailments. The Pharmacists also play the role in the dissemination of the right information, in the control of scare and misinformation which were important concerns during the spread of the disease.
The Community pharmacists and their teams are vital healthcare providers during the outbreak; they remain in the frontline of public health by serving as direct points of access for their patients. They continue to play their role towards public uninterrupted supply of medicines, as well as in supporting the government in the dissemination of information and precautions related to COVID-19 spread including hand washing techniques to availability of face masks and instructions for their proper use and disposal; a lot of misinformation about the proper use of face masks had happened and continues to happen. The Hospital pharmacists, on the other hand, play an important role during the outbreak, in the prevention and control of infection, as well as patient care and support. There were concerns and issues in the availability of PPEs for Pharmacists in the Hospitals but was immediately addressed with the intervention of the Philippine Pharmacists Association.
The Philippine Pharmacists Association, the integrated national organization of pharmacists in the country, issued some guidelines for the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Operators and posted in social media relevant advisories about Covid19 infection. The guidance educates pharmacies for safety of pharmacy staff and the pharmacy standard operation processes, as the number of cases in the country continued to rise, keeping in view the new Philippines Pharmacy Law, new policies and regulations issued relative to the pandemic that actually drives changes in pharmacy practice.
Pharmacies, more than ever, had again demonstrated as the first point of contact and the last stop of patients who have some healthcare needs. Pharmacies in the Philippines and am sure, around the world are one of the few places that are kept open for public service even during the strict lockdown of the pandemic period.
Korean Transition of Care : Together with Government, Hospital Pharmacy and Community Pharmacy
In Korea, the Ministry of Health is promoting the Transition of Care, ToC, as part of the community care initiative. It provides the care service for elderly patients who are willing to return to the community from the hospital settings. The ‘community liaison team’ in the hospital plans the discharge and liaise with the ‘care information center’ for the provision of relevant services.
Managing the medication of patients is one of the major challenges after discharge. Hence, the Korea Institute for Pharmaceutical Policy Affairs, KIPPA, (President, Hyekyung Park) is currently developing a ToC model focused on pharmaceutical care. The model is based on the cooperation between hospital and community pharmacy, enabling the successful transition of medication management. Transfer of detailed patient information from the hospital pharmacy and consistent management in local pharmacies after the discharge could alleviate the medication error due to polypharmacy or frequent medication changes. Subsequently, this could decrease the readmission rate and medical cost as already supported by a number of previous researches.
Korean National Health Insurance Service, NHIS, is currently implementing a ToC project focusing on the management of polypharmacy. The patients who ‘have national health insurance’, ‘have one or more morbidities among the 13 non-communicable diseases’, and ‘take more than 10 medicines regularly’ are screened from the five hospitals in Korea. After the assessments and monitoring from the hospital, these patients are transferred to community pharmacies for continuous management. The community pharmacists conduct a home visit and phone call to provide monitoring and counseling services.
The transition of care is proposing a solution to maintain the healthcare system in an aging society. Though Korea is estimated to possess good infrastructure for universal health coverage, the elderly care cost is rapidly increasing with concerns on the sustainability of the national insurance system. For the successful maintenance of healthcare in Korea and abroad, active engagements from government, hospital, and community pharmacies would be required.
Yoonjung Choi, Pharm.D
Research Scientist at the Korea Institute for Pharmaceutical Policy Affairs
2020 Annual Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Taiwan
2020 has been a challenging year, with international pharmaceutical supply chains facing a shortage in active pharmaceutical ingredients and a halt in transportation due to COVID-19. However, Taiwan was able to safeguard its citizens’ safety as pharmacists took on the functional role of distributing and rationing personal protective equipment while providing medical access to tackle misinformation.
The pharmacy community has continued to show perseverance. Through the collaboration between the Pharmaceutical Society of Taiwan (PST) and the Taiwan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (TSHP), members were allowed to network and establish future objectives during the conference. Other participating organizations included the Taiwan Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research (TaSPOR), Taiwan Society of Regulatory Affairs for Medical Products (TsRAP), Taiwan Young Pharmacist Group (TYPG), and T-SAP. As experts in science, practice, and education drafted a new roadmap towards promoting pharmaceutical professionalism, specialization, international engagement, and the incorporation of artificial intelligence. The message to enhance “Pharmacy Professionalism in the Dynamic Era by Bridging Science & Practice” has never been more apparent.
The association invited both national and international honorary speakers, including the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s (FIP’s) president Mr. Domonique Jordan, who was kind enough to share a few inspiring words. Mr. Jordan gave credit to hospital pharmacists who had to face a drastic increase in patients and community pharmacists who ensured continuous pharmaceutical access, all while risking their lives. “Never have I been so proud to be a pharmacist these past ten months, and you should be too,” he said. It has never been more apparent that the role of pharmacists in a multidisciplinary team is crucial. It is essential to work together and with other healthcare professionals to actively address, by 2022, the ten global health threats identified by the World Health Organization (WHO). To expand vaccination coverage, address the burden of non-communicable diseases, and tackle antimicrobial resistance challenges through antimicrobial stewardship. Ultimately, the goal has always been to ensure the safety and efficacy of patients. Therefore, we must work together to position pharmacists as a critical primary health care provider and expand on our services.
Long live FIP!
Long live Pharmacy!
Thriving online in Australia as ‘VCON’ closes out 2020
Amid the challenges of 2020, members of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists (SHPA) and their pharmacy colleagues from Australia and overseas embraced a new multi-modal CPD calendar, with high-quality offerings accessible to more healthcare professionals than ever before. The highlight of our 2020 calendar was the 2020 SHPA Virtual Conference. Held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, the all-virtual conference saw hospital pharmacists connect across Australia and beyond like never before, tuning in for two days (live or by accessing recordings) of invited speakers, contributed papers, awards and reflections with an additional 140 plus posters available online.
The program covered the latest in innovative pharmacy practice, including: clinical pearls from across the practice spectrum; aged care in focus; COVID-19 support and lessons learned; technician session; and orations from the recipients of the prestigious SHPA Awards, including the 2020 Fred J Boyd Award (Prof. Jeff Hughes), 2020 SHPA Medal of Merit(Vaughn Eaton) and the 2020 Australian Clinical Pharmacy Award (Erica Tong). Winners of the very popular SHPA Members’ Awards were also announced: 2020 SHPA Early Career Pharmacist of the Year (Phil Tibbits; pictured left) 2020 SHPA Technician of the Year (Liza D’Ettorre: pictured second left); and 2020 SHPA Hospital Team Innovation of the Year (The WACHS TeleChemotherapy Cancer Team; pictured second right).
We continue to deliver dynamic, accessible, and interactive CPD for pharmacists and technicians, and have recently opened registration for ten 2021 SHPA CPD events. Presented by leaders in their field and covering a range of topics, including: laboratory tests, paediatrics, compounding, pain management, kidney diseases and transplantation, these events will be delivered through virtual and a blend of self-paced learning and virtual seminars.
Pharmacist administered Influenza Vaccination in high-risk hospital outpatients in Australia
The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) was the first site in Australia for pharmacists to administer influenza vaccines to patients in a hospital outpatient setting, as follow-on from the Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Program (QPIP). To set up the initiative, significant consultation occurred with the hospital executive and service lines to approve the new scope of practice and with the Queensland Chief Health Officer to change state legislation to expand the location restriction from a community pharmacy premise to within a health facility. With funding provided by the Allied Health Profession’s Office of Queensland, the clinic pharmacists then received immunisation training from PSA
The RBWH pharmacy department has significant input into several ambulatory clinics. All patients who are booked for a routine pharmacy review were assessed for suitability to receive the influenza vaccine. For suitable patients, the pharmacist provided written and verbal information on the risks and benefits of immunisation and obtained the patient’s consent to be vaccinated. Administration of the vaccination was documented in the patient’s medical records and communicated to the Australian Immunisation Register and the patients nominated GP if requested.
Of the patients who received an influenza vaccine in 2019, 44% had never received an influenza vaccination before, and 41% would not have been vaccinated this year if this service had not been available. Maternity outpatients, Surgery and Preadmission clinics, and Renal and dialysis outpatients were the clinics that gave the highest percentage of all vaccines given. Patient satisfaction of the immunisation service was very high with 100% of patients reporting they were completely satisfied with the overall vaccination experience, felt the facilities were adequate, and advised they would be happy to receive the flu vaccination at the clinic in the future. This service demonstrates that an opportunistic service can increase the uptake of vaccinations in high-risk patients. The trained pharmacist immunisers were then able to assist with the hospital’s COVID response by administering the influenza vaccine to frontline staff during winter 2020.
Webinars on Demand
FIP continues to host a rich series of webinars on vaccination, remote education, COVID-related topics, and more! All are available in the FIP library. We think you may be particularly interested in:
- Necesidades e impulsores regionales de la transformación de la vacunación: Américas (10 Dec)
- Regional needs and drivers for transforming vaccination: Africa (9 Dec)
- Regional needs and drivers for transforming vaccination: Western Pacific (8 Dec)
- Regional needs and drivers for transforming vaccination: Eastern Mediterranean (3 Dec)
- Regional needs and drivers for transforming vaccination: South East Asia (2 Dec)
- Regional needs and drivers for transforming vaccination: Europe (1 Dec)
- Communicating vaccine safety, building vaccine confidence (27 Nov)
- The Role of the Pharmacist in the Care of Obstetric Patient (23 Nov)
- COVID-19: toma de decisiones en ausencia de evidencia científica. Farmacovigilancia y tecnovigilancia como herramientas para evaluaciónde riesgo (13 Nov)
…and last but certainly not least, a recorded Webinar providing helpful tips for completing the Basel Statements Assessment Survey
Webinars From International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF)
IPSF are hosting webinars about hostpial pharmacy to students. Details are below:
- The Role of Clinical Hospital Pharmacists in an Interdisciplinary Health team
- Ms. Nai-Hwa Mei as a speaker.
- Sat, Jan 23, 2021 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (CET)
- https://global.gotomeeting.
com/join/851824517
- Digital innovations and Automation in Hospital Pharmacy Practice.
- Dr. Jonathan Penm as our speaker.
- Sat, Jan 30, 2021 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (CET)
- https://global.gotomeeting.
com/join/681615197 
Research Collaboration Opportunities!
The World Hospital Pharmacy Research Consortium (WHoPReC) is the research committee of the FIP Hospital Pharmacy Section. The group has assembled a listing of research projects seeking collaborators. Please have a look and see if one is a good fit for you!
Cannabis Survey
Through the department of pharmacy at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and through the CHEO Research Institute, Dr. Regis Vaillancourt and his investigative team are conducting an REB approved short anonymous survey to assess the concerns, beliefs, and attitudes surrounding being a pharmacist across Canada (as well as in countries where medical cannabis is legalized).
This study is being done because cannabis continues to be legalized in more and more countries and is being used for the medical treatment of multiple diseases and disorders. In Canada, pharmacists still cannot dispense cannabis, but it is likely that this will not always be the case.
The below study is a timely assessment of the current feelings surrounding how pharmacists perceive providing information on Medicinal and Recreational Cannabis. Note that this survey is for pharmacists, but it can also be completed by pharmacy students.
Completion of the multiple choice survey is considered adequate for consent. Click here to take the survey.
If you have any questions about the study please feel free to contact Dr. Jameason Cameron, project coordinator and co-investigator for the study, at +1 613 737 7600 x3449. You may also contact the principal investigator, Dr. Regis Vaillancourt, at +1 613 737 7600 x2231.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Pediatric Formulations Focus Group
Extemporaneous compounding continues to play an important role for pediatric oral preparations where commercial formulations are not available. Disparities in compounding practices remain, however, and a global, coordinated effort is needed to harmonize oral extemporaneous pediatric preparations. Hence, FIP has created the new Pediatric Formulations Focus Group under the Drug Delivery Manufacturing Special Interest Group.
The goals of the pediatric fomulations focus group are:
- To develop an open-access FIP database of standardized oral extemporaneous pediatric preparations
- To standardize global compounding practices through protocols and online training
We are excited to have Régis Vaillancourt on the group to repesent the Hospital Pharmacy Section.
Mr. Mohamad Dani Pratomo
Mr. Mohamad Dani Pratomo, the President Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations (FAPA) 2019-2022, passed away December 31, 2020 at the age of 57 years.
The late Mr. Dani Pratomo was the immediate past President of the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (2009-2014). He will always be remembered as a kind, calm and conscientious person who have dedicated his time and energy for Indonesian and Asian pharmacists.
We express our deepest condolences to his beloved wife and children. May they find strength in this difficult time.
Mr. John Ware
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. John Ware OAM, the immediate past president of the FIP Western Pacific Pharmaceutical Forum (WPPF). John was a National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and was one of only a small number of Australians to have been awarded a Fellowship of the FIP. He contributed globally in the field of Pharmacy both in his role with the Western Pacific Pharmaceutical Forum and as President of the FIP Foundation.
As Chair of the Victorian College of Pharmacy he led the team that integrated the monodisciplinary College of Pharmacy into a Faculty of Monash University which has developed into a world-renowned Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This has enabled pharmacists to develop their knowledge and skills and strive forward as a profession. John and his wife Nariel provided the Ware Fellowship at the Faculty, investing in postdoctoral research into leadership in pharmacy.
PSA Victorian President and current WPPF President Mr John Jackson said John Ware had demonstrated a deep dedication to the pharmacy profession and had been a driving force in the development and expansion of the role of the pharmacist in Australia and the Region. “John has worked tirelessly and given much of his life to professional pharmacy both in Australia and internationally. He leaves a huge legacy to the profession. He will be missed. I would like to pass on my deepest condolences to his wife Nariel, his family, friends and many colleagues.”
John Ware was recently awarded a Victorian Lifetime Achievement Award by PSA.
