The latest issue of Hospital Pharmacy Europe is special. It is the 100th edition, representing a major milestone since the journal’s inception in 2001, being first published as Hospital Prescriber Europe, and its evolution to becoming Hospital Pharmacy Europe in the present day. Tiene Bauters PharmD PhD shares her thoughts.
I am privileged to write this editorial and believe it is an excellent opportunity to look at the past, present and future of Hospital Pharmacy Europe (HPE).
For readers who might be less familiar with HPE, the journal aims to provide “a platform for hospital pharmacists to share innovative ideas on how to address their healthcare challenges and ensure they stay up to date with what’s going on in their industry. Clinical news, analyses, expert opinions and the latest reviews and research from across Europe and the UK are presented through the journal, the website and weekly newsletters”.
It is an excellent resource for all topics related to hospital pharmacy, both in print and online.
On reviewing the archives, I saw throughout the years, as the editorship passed from Prof Chris Cairns to Prof Ray Fitzpatrick and then to Dr Christine Clark, how the objectives above were always achieved. The themes, trends in authorships, challenges and opportunities covered were, and still are, aligned with the scope of the journal and the learning needs of our profession. The latest approaches in the field continue to be summarised, and topics such as pharmaceutical care, patient safety, healthcare policies and technologies are reviewed, all the while continuing to reflect and highlight the vital role that hospital and clinical pharmacists play in a clear, concise, and accessible way.
Over the years, the journal’s coverage and reach has widened. The print and digital offerings have evolved to include diverse content including opinion pieces, expert views, research roundups, applied original research articles, case studies and podcasts. HPE grew and so did its audience! The print journal now has very many subscribers across 27 countries and is undergoing a refresh to coincide with this landmark edition.
For colleagues who have not fully checked out the journal before, then perhaps now is
a good time to start. The associated website, www.hospitalpharmacyeurope.com, is clear and user-friendly. Here you’ll find news, views (personal reflections and opinion pieces from clinical pharmacy experts), clinical reviews and applied research, numerous clinical zones, and a dedicated COVID-19 zone, introduced at the start of the pandemic to address and condense the wealth of information appearing in the scientific literature at that time and since. Alongside these zones are the educational resources, with an archive of over 50 educational, sponsored, handbooks covering a constellation of clinical and practical topics, some of which were written in/translated into non-European languages and distributed globally in China, the US, Latin America, and Asia under the Hospital Pharmacy International brand. Finally, we have roundtable reports, covering expert advisory boards that assembled panels of leading healthcare professionals to discuss, debate, and share their expertise and experiences on key areas of pharmacy practice and policies, or reflect on industry-sponsored satellite symposia at major conferences.
So, you’ll see that HPE has something for everyone, rather than everything for just someone.
As a final thought, I would like to extend special thanks to all the readers who have inspired and encouraged us to keep writing and publishing for the last 100 issues. Your contribution and dedication to our profession makes the difference. And please be assured that your feedback is vital. You speak – and we’ll listen! We’ll continue to welcome all submissions within the scope of the journal relevant for hospital pharmacists at all levels of their career throughout Europe, and even worldwide, to help fulfil our aim to help address our profession’s educational needs. Just get in touch!
It’s always great to start the day with a little celebration! So, please enjoy reading this 100th edition.
