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Digital medication management in healthcare settings: a key opportunity for the European Union
29 November 2022 - Brussels and online
Overview
Medication is the main part of the therapeutic process for hospital patients and the second highest spending chapter for health budgets. With hospitals stocking up to 200 medicines medication management (often referred to the ‘medication management pathway’) is an onerous activity for hospitals. Hospitals’ medication management pathways are complex and include several activities involving ordering, reception, storing, prescription, compounding, distribution, and dispensing /administration of medicines to patients across wards in hospitals. Stock control, management and monitoring activities in this pathway require various clinical groups to ensure sufficient supplies and the safe administration of medicine to patients. Yet tasks in this pathway are defined by manual activities and digitalisation is lagging; the penetration of digitalisation of the medication management pathway in ALL European countries is low. Digitalisation of medication management means full track-and-trace medication management solutions, otherwise known as closed-loop-medication management systems, from pharmacy to ward to the patient’s bedside with a smart, automated, completely integrated digital approach.
On the occasion of the revision of the basic pharmaceutical regulation, in the context of the European Pharmaceutical Strategy, the implementation of the EU4 Health programme and the advent of the European Health Data Space, the Alliance for the Digitalisation of Medication Management in European Hospitals calls on the European Commission, the European Parliament and the EU Member States to seize unique opportunities in existing and forthcoming policy, legislation and programmes to revolutionise hospitals medication management pathways by implementing and upscaling digitalisation in hospitals medication management pathways.
This was the launch event for the white paper launch ‘Digital Medication Management in Healthcare Settings: an opportunity for the European Union’, hosted by MEP Luisa Regimenti.
SPEAKERS
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Kaisa Immonen
Kaisa Immonen
Kaisa Immonen is Director of Policy at the European Patients’ Forum (EPF). She holds a Master’s degree in Health Policy, Innovation and Management (Maastricht University) and in International Relations (University of Kent at Canterbury/University of Tampere).
Kaisa represents EPF on the European Medicines Agency’s Patients and Consumers Working Party, where she was co-chair in 2016-1022. She participated in the EMA’s COVID-19 task force in 2020-22. She represents EPF on the OECD’s Health Care Quality and Outcomes working party, the International Patient Advisory Panel for the OECD PaRIS initiative, and the CIOMS working group XI on patient involvement. In her personal capacity she is a member of the Patient Panel of The BMJ.
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Mike Isles
Mike Isles
Mike Isles is Executive Director of the European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines. He also represents the Secretariat for the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacy, and he is European Medicines Partnership Director for International Health Partners, a UK charity. Mike Isle is also an Associate of the Ceuta Capability Group, a consultancy that provides outsourced management expertise in healthcare. Mike’s professional background is in pharmaceuticals, where he held senior management and director positions covering sales, marketing, commercial and supply chain in a 32 year career.
Dr Darija Kuruc Poje
Adrian Peres
Richard Price
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Fulvia Raffaelli
Fulvia Raffaelli
Fulvia Raffaelli is Head of Unit, Digital Health Unit, at the European Commission. She joined the Commission in 2002 and since then took up responsibilities in several highly complex regulatory and technical projects. After a few years dedicated to the economics of environmental policy, she worked on chemical legislation (REACH and CLP), first as policy advisor then as responsible for the implementation of the Authorisation and Restriction processes. Deputy Head of Unit since 2009, she moved to the Strategic Policy Unit in 2012 to be in charge of inter-institutional relations and the implementation of COSME (SMEs supporting programme). From 2015, she has lead the unit in charge of Circular Economy, Energy efficiency and Climate related policies in DG GROW. The implementation of the Ecodesign Directive, the implementation and revision of the Construction Products Regulation and the digital and green transition of the construction ecosystem were also part of her portfolio. Since September 2022, she joined DG SANTE to lead the Digital Health unit.
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Yves Verboven
Yves Verboven
Yves Verboven has been Director Market Access & Economic Policies at MedTechEurope since May 2012. His work focuses on value-based access model within the EU frameworks, including participating in dialogue with procurers, payers, Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Member States representatives on value-based procurement, value of diagnostic information, modern HTA cooperation in Europe, and new evidence and financing schemes to shift to access of medical technologies of value for patients, healthcare, society and the economy. Before joining MedTechEurope, Verboven took on the responsibility of Assistant Director Health Economics, EMEA at Alcon in September 2008. He developed comprehensive patient report outcomes instrument to support patient diagnosis and assessed the outcome value of dry eye treatment to patients. He had previously joined Medtronic in 1999 to head the European Heart Failure Clinical Outcomes & Research department. Verboven started his career in the field of clinical engineering at Intermedics, a US based pacemaker and implantable defibrillator company. He holds 5 patents in field of cardiac stimulation in health failure. He graduated in 1987 as Electro-Mechanical Engineer with specialty electronics at the Catholic University of Leuven, and holds a post-graduate in Business Administration.
What our Members say
I have been active in EHMA since the first years of the '90s and I have seen its evolution from a small association of members interested in sharing knowledge on health management practices to the current status of reference and advisory key player for EU, health systems and organisations, stakeholders associations, industry and universities. EHMA is now a unique knowledge hub, policy advisor, community of practice and network of best in class organisations involved in health policy and management. A place where health managers can build their competences, policy-makers and stakeholder associations envision how to implement and sustain change through health management, industry leaders understand how to engage more effectively with health organisations and systems. The right place to nurture and grow health management capabilities and capacity for every stakeholder of health systems.
Prof. Federico Lega, University of Milan, Italy
Health management has a crucial function in shaping public health and health system challenges. The Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria had success in collaborating with EHMA on EU-funded projects that has resourced us to create new health management competencies for the future workforce. In addition to all classical definitions, health management is a science dealing with individuals, groups, and society at large. It is an art contributing to the beauty of our lives and an interactive communication process at all levels of institutions and human energy. I have also had the pleasure to chair the South Eastern European Special Interest Group which gives members a space to discuss and tools to address how health systems are managed in our regions.
Prof. Todorka Kostadinova, Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria
I enjoy the high level of interaction and engagement in EHMA’s activities, in particular during the annual conference where the panel discussions are rich and well prepared. As a hospital manager and professor of health management, EHMA motivates and inspires me to be creative. You go back home feeling energised from seeing old friends and making new connections, as well as being convinced of serving as EHMA’s ambassador. It’s a strong feeling of interdisciplinary engagement, but it also feels like being part of family-like community.
Prof. Sandra C. Buttigieg, University of Malta, Malta
EHMA is a pre-eminent organisation for everyone working in planning, managing and delivering health services across Europe. As a long standing member of EHMA I have always been impressed by the vibrant community of managers, researchers and academics it has created and by the many opportunities for sharing knowledge and funding opportunities it has brought to its members. Its international scope is impressive and its impact is often felt in management and research across European and national health systems.
Prof. Axel Kaehne, Edge Hill University, UK
Health workforce has become more essential in operating, managing and maintaining health systems lately, particularly in crisis and emergency situations. European healthcare professions and the workforce need to be high on the agenda of managers and decision makers. The Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University in Hungary is a longstanding EHMA member, because it connects us with collaborators and experts, with whom we can have complex debates, from whom we can learn and at the end find solutions in various challenging fields of healthcare management.
Dr Eszter Kovács, Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University, Hungary
As a hospital administrator and health management professor, I see on a daily basis that the healthcare challenges require talented and skilled managers to transform it. the EHMA membership has been beneficial to bring healthcare management research and education to the demanding healthcare services world, promoting healthcare management competencies and knowledge creation.
Dr Alexandre Lourenco, APAH - Association of Portuguese Hospital Managers, Portugal
Many healthcare systems in Europe and beyond are facing similar challenges which require innovative and creative solutions. EHMA’s annual conference, webinars, Programme Directors’ group and other activities and resources provide incredible opportunities for networking, connecting and sharing experiences. A distinct feature of EHMA is the diversity of members with representation from many countries, sectors and different communities of practice – academic, policy-makers, practitioners, managers, leaders and students. The annual conference is a highlight in the calendar year, offering a friendly, fun and learningful environment for emerging and established members to engage, collaborate and meet up with old and new friends. I am proud to be a member of the EHMA Board.
Prof. Ann Mahon, University of Manchester, UK
Society evolution, pandemics and ageing modify health needs. So, health policies and services are to change dramatically. EHMA, through webinars, workshops and annual conference provides an excellent insight to a professional changing world, favouring closeness to management innovation and the protagonists of these changes. As a primary care services’ manager, participating in EHMA activities is really worth it and allows to involve oneself in the innovation processes.
Dr Antoni Peris Grao, Consorci Castelldefels Agents de Salut (CASAP), Spain