PSHK Meeting with Hospital Authority Management Representatives on 9 March 2018

 

Attendee: Dr. PY Leung, Anna Lee, Scarlett Pong, Peter Suen, Edward Yau

 

1. Clinical development of Pharmacists at HA

 

PSHK hope that there is a more structured career development ladder for clinical pharmacists. Pharmacists do not have as much of a clear development path compared with physicians.

 

HA agrees and will work on developing the clinical role of Pharmacists. The E-fill Drug Refill Services Pilot Program for example could reduce drug wastage and is found successful. This would mean employing more pharmacists to support the expansion of this service. Other potential expansion of Pharmacists’ roles include Warfarin clinics and 24-hour pharmacy services. HA would take time to completely review the workflow from prescribing to administration to patients, and to integrate Pharmacists into the workflow to enhance clinical outcome.

2. Expansion of Pharmacists’ role especially in Radiopharmacy

 

From PSHK member’s feedback, there are currently pharmacists in HA working as Scientific Officer in the nuclear medicine department of selected hospitals within HA. We feel that specially trained Pharmacist in this field could be the most suitable to work as a radiopharmacist, and the title of the position should be changed to Radiopharmacist. HA responded that the name of the rank as scientific officer is most likely due to the setting of the radiopharmacy. This post is not under the pharmacist stream, and could potentially be open to non-pharmacists who has a PhD in nuclear medicine for example. The Scientific officer role in general has a greater research, development and technical skill element and is a career choice of the applicant in terms of career path development.

 

3. Public Private Partnership (PPP)

 

HA is open towards PPP and is willing to look into developing a suitable model. There are however hurdles that need to be overcome, such as having an accreditation system of community pharmacists and ongoing training for the service providing pharmacists. Besides, making e-Health Records available to the community pharmacists and having an auditable trail of the prescription are also important considerations. 

 

PSHK feels that the E-fill Drug Refill Services should be expanded into the Community Pharmacy sector once the pilot program has been completed. HA agrees in principle and points out that there is a cultural change needed in patient acceptance. We will start working with Anna and her team for the potential development of PPP and E-fill services as soon as possible.   

 

4. Self-Financed Items (SFI)

 

PSHK would like to see more pharmacists involved in SFI dispensing, and that SFI prescriptions should be distributed into the community sector fairly. HA concurs with this principle.

 

5. Vaccination Program

 

PSHK suggested that with appropriate training, pharmacists could take up the role of providing vaccine injections to patients. Pharmacists in many overseas countries are already providing such service. This would lessen the workload of other healthcare professionals. HA responded that the vaccination program is being led by the Department of Health and recommended that we should communicate directly with them. PSHK would follow up with the DH on this matter.