Positive clinical leadership at the heart of patient safety

Positive leadership is the key to improving patient safety and driving quality enhancements in healthcare, according to a study funded by the Qatar National Research Fund, it was announced on Wednesday.

The two-year exercise was led by researchers from Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Pharmacy Department in collaboration with Qatar University, Robert Gordon University (UK), University of Aberdeen (UK), and RCSI (Ireland).

The study explored aspects of reporting medication errors from the perspective of healthcare professionals and those in positions of power and influence. The multi-national research team involved in the study also examined the underlying causes of medication errors.

Prof Moza al-Hail, executive director of HMC’s Pharmacy Department, says it is important to understand why healthcare-related errors happen and the study’s findings validate the importance of efforts undertaken by HMC to optimise the safety of patients.

“HMC’s Pharmacy Department is committed to making a significant difference to the health and well-being of our patients and to improving patient safety through innovative research, training and safe medication use practices. These study findings reinforce the importance of our efforts and will lead to the continued development of even more robust and enhanced medication safety practices,” said Prof al-Hail.

HMC’s pharmacy team has included the implementation of automated pharmacies at several facilities across the organisation, helping to increase the time pharmacists spend with patients while also reducing medication errors. This technology was first introduced in the region at Al Wakra Hospital in 2014. The use of automated dispensing cabinets in inpatient wards and surgical theatres has led to both decreased wait times in administering medications and reduced error rates through the use of barcodes to retrieve prescriptions.

According to Prof al-Hail, other notable service enhancements include the implementation of dedicated pharmacist-led clinics, such as the anti-coagulation clinic, and medication therapy management clinics. The anti-coagulation clinic is designed to be a 'one stop shop’ where pharmacists assess patients, perform required tests, educate patients, and also dispense medications within the clinic.

Medication therapy management clinics, led by clinical pharmacists, have been introduced to provide consultancy services with the aim of minimising medication side effects and encouraging patients to adhere to their dosage regime.

Last month, HMC launched a drug information centre to answer patient and clinician questions about prescribed medications or medications purchased at retail pharmacies. The information centre will eventually operate 24-hours a day and will also have a hotline available for queries.

The Pharmacy Department’s post-graduate year one pharmacy residency programme has been accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, making it the second health system outside of the United States to receive this distinction. The programme enhances general competency in managing medication-use systems and supports optimal medication therapy outcomes for patients.