THE Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) has unveiled the first Australian Practice Standard for pharmacy informatics, which aims to support the implementation, adoption and maintenance of the health information systems that ensure quality and safe use of medicines.
Now available through Early View and in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, the new standard will help drive quality and improve patient health outcomes in pharmacy practice.
"I would like to acknowledge Michael and the incredible work of his team to bring this critical first standard to life," said SHPA President, Tom Simpson (pictured).
"This Standard also wouldn't be possible without the support of our colleagues at the Australian Digital Health Agency, Australasian Institute of Digital health, and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia; we thank them for their contribution as part of the review process."
Lead author Michael Bakker FANZCAP (Informtcs), Chair of the SHPA's Pharmacy Informatics Standard of Practice Working Group and Electronic Medication Management Leadership Committee, and Digital Health Portfolio Lead for SA Pharmacy, said he was proud to lead the development of the standard.
"Successful healthcare delivery now and into the future is contingent on an ability to create systems and processes that assist clinicians by improving efficiencies, productivity, reliability, safety and quality," he explained.
"Achieving this requires pharmacy informaticians who have detailed knowledge of whole healthcare system medication utilisation and a deep knowledge of digital health.
"The Standard also includes a maturity model to allow pharmacy informaticians to consider and progress their development."
Bakker will present the Australian first standard at the Digital Health Festival next month in Melbourne - more details here. JM
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