On 20 June 2024, the final conference of the project Transformation for Universities at CU (reg. no. NPO_UK_MSMT-16602/2022) entitled "Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration of clinical pharmacists, pharmacists, geriatricians and general practitioners in the care for geriatric patients" took place in the large auditorium of the campus at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Hradec Králové, Charles University.
This conference ceremonially closed the pilot phase of the interdisciplinary educational cycle "Education in the Basic Specifics of Rational Geriatric Pharmacotherapy", whose modules were attended by the first participants monthly in the period 04/2023 – 04/2024 in the beautiful surroundings of the Garden of Medicinal Plants of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University. In these modules participated clinical and other pharmacists, general practitioners, and geriatricians, with the aim to gain new knowledge ("upskilling") in the field of signal medication reviews in complex geriatric patients. This newly developed course was approved by the Charles University Internal Review Board for Education on 24 April 2024 as a course leading to the acquisition of a micro-certificate ("micro-credentials"), and will be further taught and opened for physicians, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals from October 2024 onwards. The aim of this course is more rapid dissemination of the fundamentals of specific approaches of rational geriatric pharmacotherapy to the pharmaceutical and medical community (note: this course enables pharmacists to complete a theoretical part of the new training program of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, aimed at acquiring competence in signal medication reviews in long-term care facilities and senior homes; the clinical pharmacy departments are responsible for practical training of this program).
In order to strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation, the final conference of the project Transformation for Universities at CU was organized in cooperation of 3 entities, namely the University Centre of Clinical Pharmacy of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University (UCKF FaF UK), the Czech Geriatric and Gerontological Society of the Czech Medical Association J. B. Purkyně (ČGGS ČLS JEP) and the Society of General Practical Medicine of the Czech Medical Association J. B. Purkyně (SVL ČLS JEP). The researchers of the research project NETPHARM (New Technologies for Translational Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences /NETPHARM, WP4 (Working Package 4), reg. no. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004607, period March 1, 2024 - February 29, 2028) also contributed to the high-quality content of the professional program (see bellow). WP4 of the NETPHARM project called "Geriatric clinical pharmacy and new technologies for the individualization of drug regimens in older patients" focuses on new principles of the individualization of drug regimens in older adults at different stages of geriatric frailty and cardio-hepato-renal syndrome. Secondary objectives of this WP4 include also intensification of mutual research collaboration among clinical-pharmaceutical departments, geriatricians and nephrologists in the Czech Republic and strengthening interdisciplinary research on the national and international levels.
The final conference was opened by Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Roh, PharmD., Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University in Hradec Králové, who emphasized the great importance of clinical pharmacy and interdisciplinary cooperation between clinical pharmacists and physicians in joint effort to provide the best possible health care to patients. He greeted all pharmacists, geriatricians, and general practitioners present, who despite of their demanding June duties came to the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Charles University from different regions of the Czech Republic with an interest in the lectured topics and with an interest in establishing new collaborations. Assoc. Prof. Daniela Fialová, PharmD., Ph.D. presented in a short lecture the objectives of the educational course, outputs and future plans and the professional content of modules of the whole cycle "Education in the Basic Specifics of Rational Geriatric Pharmacotherapy". She also presented the ongoing 25-year collaboration between clinical pharmacy field and geriatrics in education and interdisciplinary research. Assoc. Prof. Fialová also thanked all lecturers and participants for piloting the new educational program in the past year.
In the following three morning lectures, 3 invited national speakers presented their talks for 3 clinical disciplines – geriatrics, general medicine and clinical pharmacy. Božena Jurašková, M.D., Ph.D. (Chairwoman of the ČGGS ČLS JEP) prepared a presentation for geriatrics, Astrid Matějková, M.D., (member of the Board of the SVL ČLS JEP) for general practitioners and Jana Gregorová, PharmD., Ph.D. (chair of the Czech Professional Society of Clinical Pharmacy – ČOSKF ČLS JEP) for clinical pharmacy. The invited speeches summarized excellently the content and mission of all above mentioned clinical fields, their status and development in the Czech Republic, challenges and priorities for future years and possibilities of cooperation. The fact that these lectures have reached fertile ground was demonstrated by many questions in the final plenary discussion and by the fact that many physicians-colleagues became more interested in how to establish closer cooperation with clinical-pharmaceutical departments in their region.
After a short break, the afternoon session of the program continued and was prepared by the team of WP4 of the NETPHARM project entitled "Geriatric clinical pharmacy and new technologies for the individualization of drug schemes in older patients". Presentations were given by foreign experts of the NETPHARM WP4 project, who represented three main European societies. Prof. Graziano Onder from Italy lectured for the European Union of Geriatric Medicine Society – EUGMS (Research Director of the EUGMS), Prof. Lisa Pont from Australia (President) for the ISPE – International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology and Prof. Stephen Byrne (Head of the Special Interest Group on Deprescribing) for the ESCP - European Society of Clinical Pharmacy. All 3 presentations introduced the key research themes of professional societies, their priorities for current and future interdisciplinary collaboration and possibilities of future international research projects.
The final conference of the project Transformation for Universities at CU ended with an excellent atmosphere and further enthusiasm to continue in collaboration on the newly created educational course also in the future years, as well in collaboration on other practical and research projects. The evaluation meeting of lecturers of the pilot phase continued in the afternoon, where plans for modules in 2024 – 2025 period were discussed.
We thank all participants for their goodwill and look forward to meeting other interested participants in the ongoing new course finalized by micro-certificate in October 2024!
On behalf of the organizing team of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University
- Assoc. Prof. Daniela Fialová, PharmD., Ph.D. (team leader and expert guarantor)
- Tereza Holubová, M.Sc. (project manager)
- Lenka Stříbrná and Ivana Dvořáková (project administrators)
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Photo: Jan Škop, M.Sc.
Project: Transformation for Universities at CU / Project registration number: NPO_UK_MSMT-16602/2022.
This course is implemented within the project Transformation for Universities at CU (reg. No. NPO_UK_MSMT-16602/2022) with the support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the Czech Recovery Plan.
