EAHP European Statements survey 2015

Abstract

Objectives: The 2015 EAHP European Statements survey was related to sections 2, 5 and 6 of the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy (Statements). In addition to collection of statistical data about the level of implementation of the Statements, it was also intended to identify important barriers to their implementation.

Methods: The online questionnaire was sent to all hospital pharmacies in EAHP member countries. Data were analysed by researchers from Keele University School of Pharmacy, UK and the EAHP Survey Group.

Results: There were a total of 949 responses (response rate 18%). In the first part of the survey, data was collected on hospital pharmacy setting. While almost half of hospital pharmacies served over 500 beds, 80% of hospital pharmacies had 10 or less pharmacists. In section B, we gathered evidence about the degree of implementation of sections 2, 5 and 6 of the Statements and the main barriers to and drivers of implementation. Five questions with the lowest implementation level were then further analysed. Only five countries had 50% or more of hospital pharmacies reporting that the hospital pharmacists routinely publish hospital pharmacy practice research. 67% of participants stated that they had contingency plans for medicines shortages. The majority of countries (n=20) have less than half of respondents using computerised decision support to reduce the risk of medication errors. When asked if an audit had been undertaken in the past 3 years to identify priorities in medicines use processes, the mean percentage of positive responses for a country was 58%.

Conclusions: EAHP has gained an informative overview of the implementation level as well as the barriers to and drivers of implementation in sections 2, 5 and 6. This is essential to inform the plans for EAHP to best support their implementation.

Keywords: EAHP; EAHP survey; European Association of Hospital Pharmacists; European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy; healthcare survey; hospital pharmacy practice; hospital pharmacy services; implementation.

Figure 1

Percentage of teaching hospitals in the sample.

Figure 2

Percentage of general hospitals in the sample.

Figure 3

Number of beds served by hospital pharmacies.

Figure 4

Staffing per hospital pharmacies: pharmacists.

Figure 5

Percentage of respondents who gave a positive response to the statement ‘The pharmacists in our hospital routinely publish hospital pharmacy practice research’.

Figure 6

Barriers preventing research being published more often.

Figure 7

Percentage of respondents who gave a positive response to the question ‘Have you or your pharmacists engaged in development of local/national guidelines?’

Figure 8

Results of the question ‘Have you had reason to contact the medicines authority in your country because of medicines shortages?’

Figure 9

Percentage of respondents who gave a positive response to the statement ‘The pharmacy in our hospital has contingency plans for medicines shortages’.

Figure 10

Overall results for the question ‘What is preventing having contingency plans for medicines shortages’.

Figure 11

Percentage of respondents who gave a positive response to the statement ‘Our hospital pharmacy uses computerised decision support to reduce the risk of medication errors’.

Figure 12

Percentage of respondents who gave a positive response to the question ‘In the past 3 years have you undertaken an audit to identify priorities for improvement in medicines use processes?’