BPhD Endorses Federal Action Plan for Enhanced Pharmaceutical Education

The German Federal Association of Pharmacy Students (BPhD) has expressed its support for the Federal Ministry of Health's newly proposed action plan aimed at improving medication safety in the healthcare sector. The organization acknowledges the plan's emphasis on collaboration between various health professions and underscores the crucial role pharmacists play in ensuring the safe and effective use of medications.

According to the details of the action plan, the Federal Ministry of Health prioritizes interdisciplinary cooperation to raise the standard of pharmaceutical care. The BPhD supports this direction, noting that combined expertise from multiple disciplines can improve patient outcomes and overall safety in medication management. Pharmacists, with their specialized knowledge, are seen as essential contributors to the delivery of optimal pharmaceutical care.

However, the BPhD notes that the current action plan primarily addresses interdisciplinary collaboration within the scope of medication safety. The association argues that further measures are needed to establish comprehensive interprofessional structures across the entire healthcare landscape. Therefore, the BPhD recommends that the Ministry of Health develop a dedicated action plan focused solely on advancing interprofessional cooperation. Such an initiative, they suggest, should involve representatives from all professional groups, including both current practitioners and students from relevant health fields.

One of the plan's initial measures calls for the creation and dissemination of guidelines to support a digitally assisted medication process. The BPhD welcomes the introduction of a shared digital information system, such as electronic patient records and medication plans. The organization believes that secure and efficient data exchange through these platforms will facilitate better communication between physicians and pharmacists, ultimately enhancing the accuracy and quality of patient care. To achieve this, pharmacists must be granted access to all information relevant to prescriptions, while adhering to strict data privacy standards.

Another significant aspect of the action plan involves assessing sector-wide medication management through targeted surveys. These efforts aim to identify ways to ensure that all important medication safety information is collected when patients are admitted to healthcare facilities. In addition, the plan seeks to prevent information gaps during transitions, such as hospital discharges, by promoting standardized medication plans and pharmaceutical counseling services. The BPhD supports these measures and calls for the inclusion of all healthcare professionals in the development and implementation of new processes. The association also emphasizes the importance of extending interprofessional medication management practices to outpatient care settings.

Further, the BPhD advocates for expanding the availability of pharmaceutical services, particularly comprehensive medication counseling for patients with multiple prescriptions. This, they argue, is vital to enhancing medication safety within the digital medication process framework.

The action plan outlines the creation of dedicated teams, known as AMTS-Stewardship teams, to oversee medication safety initiatives. The BPhD endorses the formation of these interprofessional teams and stresses the importance of incorporating pharmaceutical expertise into the development of best practice recommendations for medication safety stewardship.

While one measure of the plan focuses on strengthening physicians' prescribing skills, the BPhD points out that pharmacists, due to their regular patient interactions and role as the final checkpoint before medication is dispensed, are equally integral to ensuring medication safety. The association stresses the necessity for pharmacists to receive comprehensive training and continuous professional development to fulfill these responsibilities effectively.

In summary, the BPhD welcomes the Federal Ministry of Health's action plan as a step toward advancing medication safety and interdisciplinary collaboration. The association urges further structural reforms in pharmaceutical education and professional training to address emerging challenges in the sector and deliver improved healthcare outcomes for patients.