Gerry Hughes

3 weeks ago | hospitalpharmacyeurope.com | Gerry Hughes |Helena Beer

A recent study assessing the carbon footprint of a hospital pharmacy’s cytotoxic drug production unit and its main sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has revealed potential areas for improvement to reduce its global warming impact. Global health authorities forecast an additional 250,000 annual deaths from climate change between 2030 and 2050. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are driving higher rates of food- and water-borne illnesses, amongst other conditions.

1 month ago | hospitalpharmacyeurope.com | Gerry Hughes |Helena Beer

The concurrent administration of intravenous (IV) medications with parenteral nutrition admixtures through the same IV line in paediatric patients poses clinically significant compatibility challenges. To assist clinicians and clinical pharmacists in decision-making and reducing these risks, an Irish research team recently developed and piloted a dedicated risk assessment tool.

1 month ago | hospitalpharmacyeurope.com | Gerry Hughes |Helena Beer

In an era of rapid healthcare evolution, clinical pharmacy is at a crossroads in Europe, facing both unprecedented opportunities and pressing challenges, and Dr Monika Lutters, ESCP president, is at the forefront of these developments. Here, speaking to Gerry Hughes, she shares her insights on current clinical pharmacy challenges around expansion and integration of hospital pharmacists, and the exciting trajectory this branch of pharmacy is set to undertake in the years ahead.

1 month ago | hospitalpharmacyeurope.com | Gerry Hughes |Helena Beer

Medication errors frequently occur in emergency departments (EDs), placing a burden on both patients and healthcare systems. Enhanced integration of pharmacists to multidisciplinary ED teams could alleviate physician workload and improve patient care and safety, a recent study has found.

1 month ago | hospitalpharmacyeurope.com | Gerry Hughes |Helena Beer

A recent scoping review has, for the first time, described pharmacist-led interventions at hospital discharge that reduce readmission rates. Hospital readmissions frequently stem from medication-related problems, such as prescription errors or poor treatment adherence around transitions of care. Pharmacists, with their expertise in medication management, are uniquely positioned to address these gaps during the discharge process.