Keynote presentation 3: PSA Lecturer
Tracks
Track 3
Track 4
| Monday, December 2, 2024 |
| 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM |
| Goldfields Theatre |
Details
The introduction of the Australian aged care onsite pharmacist model marks a new era for pharmacists in residential aged care. This innovative model integrates pharmacists into the aged care multidisciplinary team, emphasizing medication safety and promoting collaborative, resident-centred care. Enhanced involvement in resident-level services, such as medication reconciliation and review, is a logical extension of current practices. However, system-level roles may be unfamiliar to many pharmacists, representing a significant shift in accountability and responsibility.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety called for fundamental and systemic reform in aged care and identified medication management and safety as an essential area for improvement. To achieve these reforms, pharmacists must take on system-level roles and act as knowledge brokers. This new role will involve acting as knowledge managers, linkage agents, and capacity builders to translate evidence into practice at all levels of the organisation. By stepping into these roles, pharmacists can drive the necessary system-level changes to ensure high standards of medication safety and overall care in the aged care sector.
Speaker
Dr Amanda Cross
Monash University
To improve is to change’ – shifts in aged care pharmacist accountability and responsibility
Biography
Dr Cross is an NHMRC Emerging Leader research fellow at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University. She has secured over $4.8million in research funding, and published over 30 papers (including 16 has first author). She has an emerging national and international profile, focused on medication safety in older adults and knowledge translation in aged care. Her current work is evaluating new roles for health care professionals, particularly pharmacists, to act as system-level knowledge brokers to support guideline implementation in residential aged care. Dr Cross is also a practicing pharmacist, conducting home and residential medication management reviews.
Chair
Vijay Suppiah
University of South Australia
