Improving medicines safety at care transitions: a stewardship approach
Tracks
3
| Sunday, August 4, 2024 |
| 9:50 AM - 10:30 AM |
| C2.5 + C2.6 |
Details
In Australia, medication-related errors result in over 250,000 hospital admissions annually, incurring an estimated cost of $1.4 billion. Transitions of care occur when all or part of a person’s health care is transferred between care providers or care settings. It is recognised that care transitions are periods of high risk for medication errors and miscommunication, leading to patient harm. Transitions of Care is one of the key focus areas in the World Health Organization's (WHO) third global patient safety challenge (Medication Without Harm), aiming to reduce medication-related harm. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care issued a response to the third WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge in 2020. The Commission’s response describes that establishing and implementing medication documentation and communication standards across all transitions of care can lead to a reduction in medication errors and adverse drug events.
Pharmacists in all settings can assist in reducing medication-related harm by providing medication review and medication reconciliation services for patients transitioning from one care setting to another.
During this session barriers and enablers to safe care transitions with respect to medicines safety will be discussed. The notion of a Transitions of Care Stewardship approach, modelled on existing successful medication stewardship programs, will be presented and how this offers a potential solution to the perennial problem of medication-related harm across care transitions.
Learning objectives
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Explain why the risk of medication-related harm is increased when patients transition practice settings.
2. Discuss how pharmacists working in different practice settings can reduce the risk of medication-related harm during transitions of care.
3. Describe the pillars of a stewardship approach to addressing medicines safety at care transitions.
Competency standards: 1.1, 1.5, 1.6
Speakers
Dr Manya Angley
Aged Care Pharmacist/psa Sa/nt Branch President
Marac
Improving medicine safety at care transitions
Biography
Dr Manya Angley is an Advanced Practice Pharmacist who began her career in academia. She continues to undertake research in medicines safety at care transitions and has a particular interest in improving health outcomes for people with neurodevelopmental disorders. In 2010, she established a consulting business, Manya Angley Research and Consulting (MARAC). She has been a general practice pharmacist at East Adelaide Health Care since 2012. MARAC holds contracts to deliver Quality Use of Medicines Services and Residential Medication Management Reviews with aged care homes in Adelaide. She provided a testimonial at the Disability Royal Commission in September 2020 highlighting the potential benefits of credentialed pharmacists in interdisciplinary teams for people with disability. Manya was the proud recipient of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (SA/NT Branch) Pharmacist of the Year (2021) and the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy MIMS Consultant Pharmacist of the Year (2021). Manya registered as Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner (PBSP) in 2023 which is an opportunity to integrate her professional and lived experiences as a carer of family members with neurodevelopmental disability.
A/Prof Debbie Rigby
Director
Improving medicine safety at care transitions
Biography
Debbie Rigby is an Advanced Practice Pharmacist with postgraduate qualifications in clinical pharmacy, geriatrics and respiratory medicine. Debbie is a member of Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Respiratory Community of Special Interest and Respiratory Pharmacy Taskforce, Lung Foundation Australia COPD Advisory Committee and Primary Care Committee, and the International Primary Care Respiratory Group. Debbie is leading the National Asthma Council implementation of Asthma Right Care in Australia and has recently been appointed as the Clinical Executive Lead to NAC. The Lung Foundation Australia honoured Debbie as the 2023 Lung Health Legend.
Debbie conducts Home Medicine Reviews and provides medicines education to pharmacists, nurses, GPs and other health professionals through her company Pharmeducation.
