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Letter to the Editor International Journal of

Pharmacy Practice International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2015, 23, pp. 162–163

Advancing into a future hospital pharmacy practice model: the value of the Basel Statements Josep M. Guiu Segura Pharmacy Practice Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain doi: 10.1111/ijpp.12125

A major influence on the actions undertaken and recommendations made to optimise pharmacy practice worldwide has been the 2008 Basel Consensus Statements on the future of hospital pharmacy. After years of developmental work, they were finalised in 2008 in Basel, Switzerland, at the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Global Conference on the Future of Hospital Pharmacy.[1] They cover all areas of medication management in a hospital setting, including procurement, preparation and delivery, as well as prescribing, administration and the monitoring of patient outcomes and human resources. The Statements are now 5 years old and a revision process has begun to simplify them, as well as to remove some that may no longer be relevant and to add some further statements that might now be needed. It is clear that there are different needs and expectations in each country beyond essential daily practice. However, as several issues related to the current practice of hospital pharmacy are brought into focus in different countries, there is place for a global encounter. Common concerns exist related to the key responsibilities of pharmacists, such as preventing errors in prescribing, dispensing and the administration stages of medication, where pharmacists play a crucial role and can contribute significantly to improving patient safety. Pharmacy professional practice follows certain basic outlines of training and education, organisational governance, clinical practice and interprofessional relationships.[2] Based on the need for pharmacists to assume more responsibility for medication-related outcomes and for hospitals and health systems to increase their sustainability, the Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative was launched in 2008.[3] In turn, the European Summit (www.eahp.eu), organised by the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists, aims to define hospital pharmacy competencies and to highlight best practices and implementation frameworks. Moreover, the Basel Statements will be updated by the FIP. So, currently, pharmacy practice models represent a hot topic of interest and debate. The overarching framework for pharmacy practice models contains the essential components that conform to the

© 2015 Royal Pharmaceutical Society

current vision of pharmaceutical care: accountability and a focus on the process of the use of medication, patient-centred outcomes at the same time that of enhancing patients’ quality of life. While essential, these components are probably insufficient to construct a final model, which might also indicate that pharmacy services are cognition- and evidence-based, collaborative, coordinated, comprehensive (holistic), reliable (always accessible) and cost-effective. While various systems (e.g., decision support, clinical information) will be needed to realise the ideal model, they will complement but not replace the essential role of the pharmacist. Many of the systemic changes that are needed are national concerns that may be beyond the direct control of pharmacy services at any given hospital or within the health system.[4] Models of practice in today’s hospitals have evolved in response to a number of factors. Those factors include the strength and vision of pharmacy leadership; relationships with medicine, nursing and the hospital administration; relationships with colleges of pharmacy; the drug distribution model; regional variations in workforces; the presence or absence of pharmacy residency training programs; and predominant department philosophy or culture, especially as it relates to staff expectations and willingness to accept responsibility for patient outcomes.[5] Regardless of geographical location, worldwide pharmacists report an involvement in patient care, including the assessment of patient drug therapy in some way or other, as well as a variety of daily clinical activities. Patient-centred care, respect for other cultures, mutual support and programs that promote experience sharing within international pharmacy organisations will all be essential components for countries to develop individual preferred practice models. Such collaboration requires time to work towards the ultimate goal: patient safety worldwide. It is also necessary to consider the urgency of setting global standards for the pharmacist workforce and accreditation for hospital pharmacy. Enthusiastic pharmacists with a willingness to share can lead opinion and encourage cooperation to seek further consensus on patient safety in hospital pharmacy.[6]

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2015, 23, pp. 162–163

Letter to the Editor

References 1. The Basel Statements on the future of hospital pharmacy. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2009; 66(5 Suppl. 3): S61–S66. 2. Phelps PK, Ghafoor V. A patientcentered pharmacy practice model. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2011; 68: 556–557.

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3. Zellmer WA. The future of healthsystem pharmacy: opportunities and challenges in practice model change. Ann Pharmacother 2012; 46: S41–S45. 4. Woods TM. Practice model challenge. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2009; 66: 1167.

5. Woods TM. Developing models for pharmacy practice. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2010; 67: 23–24. 6. Liou W-S. Opportunities for global collaboration. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2009; 66(5 Suppl. 3): S71–S74.

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2015, 23, pp. 162–163

Advancing into a future hospital pharmacy practice model: the value of the Basel Statements.

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