eHealth Forum 2014 : Athens, May 12-14

The Greek Presidency of the EU Council drives the eHealth Agenda forward focusing on the implementation of innovative services for better patient care and wellness. It’s about reforming healthcare services delivery and maximizing health and economic benefits for society.

 

eHealth Forum 2014 brings together the High-Level Conference on eHealth and Technologies for Active and Healthy Ageing, associated events and Exhibition, the eHealth Network Meeting of senior policy makers and state secretaries, the 4th EU-US eHealth Marketplace and more, aspiring to become a true forum for the exchange of experience, mutual support and good practices.

Towards efficient healthcare, social wellbeing and growth opportunities

 

eHealth Forum 2014 aims to inspire for eHealth solutions leading to functional reforms of healthcare systems, enabling access to better care and quality of life. At the same time eHealth Forum 2014 will emphasize on the importance of deploying innovative eHealth services for growth opportunities and job creation. 

European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing and Reference Sites

 

eHealth is the backbone for the provision of patient-centric, high quality services to all, especially the elderly and those with chronic diseases. The pillar of eHealth Forum 2014 is the progress achieved in addressing the challenge of ageing through joining forces to advance innovation. The Action Groups and Reference Sites of EIP on AHA will share the progress of their deliverables and discuss next steps towards concrete solutions for a healthier ageing population, one of the most prominent challenges of the social care systems.

4th EU-US Marketplace & Cooperation Assembly

 

The goal of the Marketplace is to create new business relationships, research, innovation and collaborations leading to innovative health improvements and economic development, in the framework of the EU-US MoU on Cooperation Surrounding Health Related Information and Communication Technologies.

Innovative Healthcare throughout the Ecosystem: Progress through Action

 

eHealth Forum 2014 offers the opportunity to bring together the international actors and stakeholders by investing in multi-sector partnerships and eHealth ecosystems.

Challenges: eHealth as an enabler for change and sustainability of healthcare systems

 

The effective use of innovative technologies in the health sector is a big challenge and at the same time an opportunity towards an efficient and sustainable healthcare system. The eHealth Forum 2014 aims at demonstrating that investing in Health IT is the most cost-effective solution for managing healthcare systems.


We look forward to welcoming you in Athens so please note the dates: May 12-14.

Presentations

• Health IT/eHealth Collaboration for Better Patient Care between the EU and US
• The Greek EU Presidency’s Plans in 2014: eHealth Forum & beyond

Related publications

• Cash-strapped country makes financial strides with health IT, by Erin McCann, Associate Editor at Healthcare IT News

Source

http://ehealth2014.org/

Methodological guidelines for stability studies of hospital pharmaceutical preparations

Drug compounding in hospital pharmacies allows the specific needs of hospitalised patients, needs that are not always satisfied by the pharmaceutical industry, to be met. In recent years, the biggest development in this field has been a move towards a rationalisation of that activity, ensuring the clinical efficiency of these medicinal preparations whilst improving their quality. The rationalised development of that activity in hospital pharmacies should be further enhanced in the future by the implementation of risk analysis approaches designed to eliminate drug-related iatrogenia.

In this context, the question of the stability of compounded medications remains a major preoccupation for pharmacists. The present work seeks to answer this concern by adopting an approach that is both didactic and pragmatic. This first opus is the fruit of an extensive collaboration in the form of a joint work group coordinated by Valérie Sautou and bringing together French and Swiss hospital and university hospital practitioners from two learned societies (SFPC and GERPAC), bringing a wealth of experience and skills to bear on the issue of the stability of sterile and non-sterile solutions. Basing their work on international benchmarks, the work group sought to adapt their methodology to focus specifically on the hospital environment, developing a genuinely useful tool for the management of stability studies. To this end, a complementary computer program has been created to offer users concrete assistance with the interpretation of their results. The other great advantage of this work is that it offers a new critical perspective on the existing literature dealing with stability studies.

This work will serve as a valuable tool for drug compounding in hospitals, contributing to the broader objective of optimising quality and making patient care ever safer.

We hope you will use this new tool without moderation! Sylvie Crauste-Manciet (President of GERPAC) - Marie-Claude Saux (President of the SFPC)

Download the Methodological guidelines for stability studies from HERE.

Sources

http://www.sfpc.eu/en/
http://www.gerpac.eu/spip.php?article2

11th Future Internet Assembly

The 11th Future Internet Assembly will take place from 18 to 20 March 2014 in Athens, Greece.

The event will be held under the auspices of the forthcoming Greek Presidency of the European Union, co-organised and supported by the European Commission.

FIA Athens 2014 will focus on reshaping the Future Internet infrastructure for innovation.

The FIA Steering Committee launches an open call to select up to 9 FIA working sessions within the scope of the conference, seeking proposals that cover aspects related to:

• The new Internet technological landscape based on network/cloud integration through Software Defined Networking (SDN),  Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), and innovative software and services that enable application innovation;
• The contribution of  the EU National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) developments in the SDN/NFV domain;
• The role of SDN/NFV in i) building Internet applications of major impact (e.g., social networks, open data, big data analysis, etc.) with virtual services capabilities; ii) enabling  the reduction in resources used (energy efficiency, reduction of raw-materials, etc....); iii) fostering the emergence of open platforms to create downstream markets for third party developers;
• The EU Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) and how they are positioned relative to these developments  and relevant requirements towards demonstration and test-beds in Europe/globally.

In particular, the FIA Steering Committee is keen to receive proposals from industry experts, academia and research institutes. The proposed sessions should follow these criteria:

• Contain new and forward-looking ideas;
• Feature a diverse array of presenters and experiences;
• Introduce visionary ideas and practices which will inspire audience;
• Promote cross cutting approaches and technologies to attract stakeholders and entrepreneurs;
• Deliver best practices & creative approaches towards research and technological innovations;
• Stimulate and provoke discussion.

You can submit your working session proposals via a dedicated online tool following the template available by Friday, 25th October 2013.


Source

http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/future-internet-assembly

European Telemedicine Conference - A map of telemedicine that works

The first annual European Telemedicine Conference (ETC) combines the efforts of several leading European Healthcare Organisations into one powerful event.

In 2013, the ETC incorporates the annual Scottish Centre for Telemedicine and Telecare Conference with the UPMC International Telemedicine Conference. This collaboration also draws on the strengths of its other partners to produce a vibrant local event with rich international appeal.

• Join leading healthcare delivery organisations, governmental leaders, clinicians, researchers and university faculty from around the world to: Understand how telemedicine is working to deliver improved care
• Evaluate clinical applications of telemedicine 
• Assess the sustainability of projects 
• Learn how research will be translated into real improvements in the delivery of healthcare 
• What infrastructure is needed to enable cost-effective telehealth delivery

Q. What are the Conference dates?
A. 29-30 October 2013

Q. Where will the Conference be held?
A. The Assembly Rooms Edinburgh 54 George Street Edinburgh EH2 2LR Scotland

Q. Is there an age limit at the European Telemedicine Conference?
A. Yes, all registrants (including spouses or guests) must be 18 years of age or older to attend the European Telemedicine Conference.

Q. Do I need to be registered for the Conference before I can book my hotel at the European Telemedicine Conference rate?
A. Yes. Special rates at the George Hotel are available for the European Telemedicine Conference delegates. You can benefit from the special offer and book your accommodation via the Conference registration website.

 Q. How is the weather in Edinburgh in October?
A. In October, the average temperature is 10°C.

Q. What kind of currency do I use?
A. The pound sterling (GBP) is the official currency of Scotland. An online converter is available at www.xe.com

Q. Do I need a visa to enter Scotland?
A. All Nationals from the EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein do not require a visa to enter. You need to hold a valid passport. For more information on visa requirements for the United Kingdom please consult the UK Border Agency website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Q. What is the attire for the Conference?
A. Business

In 2014, Italy will host the ETC, and in 2015, in Denmark.
 
Sources

http://telemedicineconference.eu

http://www.pharmanews.eu/

European Medicines Agency (ΕΜΑ): the concept of medicines under additional monitoring

A black triangle will start appearing on product information this autumn to encourage reporting of suspected adverse reactions

The European Medicines Agency has published a video and a factsheet in all official European Union (EU) languages today explaining the meaning of the black triangle, which is now starting to appear in the product information of certain authorised medicines in the EU. The black triangle has recently been introduced in the EU as part of the concept of medicines under additional monitoring and is an important deliverable of the new European pharmacovigilance legislation.
Medicines under additional monitoring are being monitored particularly closely by European regulatory authorities. Their package leaflet and the information for healthcare professionals, called the summary of product characteristics (SmPC), have to display an inverted black triangle together with a short sentence that reads:

This medicinal product is subject to additional monitoring.

The black triangle will start appearing on the product information of medicines that are subject to additional monitoring more and more over the next few months, including in the printed package leaflet that comes with the medicine.
All medicines on the EU market are carefully monitored. If a medicine is labelled with the inverted black triangle, it does not mean that it is unsafe; the purpose of the symbol is to actively encourage healthcare professionals and patients to report any suspected adverse reactions observed with the medicine, either because the medicine is new to the market or because there is a limitation to the data available on its safety.
Regulatory authorities continuously collect information to monitor real-life experience with medicines. Reporting suspected adverse reactions is an important way to gather more information on medicines on the market. In a real-life setting, where a larger and more diverse group of patients use the medicines, less common side effects may be observed. Regulatory authorities look at all reports of adverse reactions, alongside all the information they already have, to make sure that the benefits of medicines remain greater than their risks and to take any necessary action to optimise safe and effective use.

Additional monitoring status is always applied to a medicine in the following cases:

• it contains a new active substance authorised in the EU after 1 January 2011;
• it is a biological medicine, such as a vaccine or a medicine derived from plasma (blood), authorised in the EU after 1 January 2011;
• it has been given a conditional approval (where the company that markets the medicine must provide more data about it) or approved under exceptional circumstances (where there are specific reasons why the company cannot provide a comprehensive set of data);
• the company that markets the medicine is required to carry out additional studies, for instance, to provide more data on long-term use of the medicine or on a rare side effect seen during clinical trials.

Other medicines can also be placed under additional monitoring, based on a decision by the Agency's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC).
The list of medicines under additional monitoring is reviewed every month by the PRAC and published on the Agency’s website, where additional information on additional monitoring can also be found in all EU languages.

Note

• The video and other information materials are available at Additional monitoring - information materials.

Source

EMA

Just 3 weeks left to tell Europe about your Hospital Pharmacy research and projects

The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) would like to remind hospital pharmacists across Europe that there are just 3 weeks remaining to submit abstract posters for display at the 19th Congress of the EAHP in Barcelona (26-28 March 2014).

The Congress of the EAHP annually brings together over 3,500 individuals working in the hospital pharmacy sector across Europe’s 47 countries, and indeed beyond, with an increasingly global attendance. Alongside keynote speakers, workshops and symposiums, a key attraction is always the abstract poster walk. The display presents to attending hospital pharmacists quick overviews of projects and research initiatives across a plethora of scientific areas including, but not limited to: the use of new technology; pharmacotherapy; the development of clinical pharmacy services; inter-professional communication; and, patient safety orientated initiatives. During the Congress a panel of judges assess all successfully submitted posters and announce prizes for the best abstracts at the closing ceremony.

Encouraging colleague hospital pharmacists to profile their work and submit an abstract before the 15 October deadline, Prof. Dr. Cees Neef, EAHP Director of Education, Science and Research, said:

“Whilst our Congress Programme grows ever larger, a much valued mainstay for attendees has always been the poster abstract walk. It’s a chance to learn from projects and research already conducted in an individual’s area of interest. It also gives an opportunity to meet the people behind the poster and exchange ideas and experience directly. Finally of course, it’s a much-needed occasion for hospital pharmacists to tell the world all about they have been doing!

The EAHP Scientific Committee looks forward to a wide range of submissions. Its always a pleasure to find out what our profession in Europe has been learning and implementing, and where we’ve been making the difference for patient outcomes.”

ENDS

For further information contact info@eahp.eu, 00 322 741 6835 or 00 44 7895 292 076 
NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. EAHP is an association of national organisations representing hospital pharmacists at European and international levels. More information about the EAHP and its history here.

2. The 19th Congress of the EAHP is to be held in Barcelona from 26-28 March 2014 at the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona. More information here.

3. The theme of the 19th Congress is ‘the innovative hospital pharmacist: imagination, skills and organisation’. More information here.

4. The deadline for submitting abstracts is Tuesday 15th October. More information about the submission process is here.

5. The best abstracts/posters – with regards to aspects like originality, scientific quality and practical applicability – will be awarded with 3 prizes amounting EURO 750, EURO 500 and EURO 250. Poster nominees will be requested to give an oral presentation on Wednesday, 26 March 2014 or Thursday 27 March 2014. More information here.

6. The topics covered by the first prize posters in the past three years have been, in reverse chronological order:

• pharmacists' optimisation of the medication process during admission to hospital: a multicentre, randomised, controlled trial (2013). More information here.
• genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus and response to sulfonylurea treatment (2012). More information here.
• development of a web-based antimicrobial resource to improve antimicrobial prescribing (2011). More information here.

7. The Congress programme also includes a wide range of keynote speakers, seminars, workshops and satellite events. Further information here.

8. The deadline for securing discount on the registration fee for the Congress is 1 December 2013. More information here.

Source

EAHP