Development of hospital clinical pharmacy services in Denmark from 2008 to 2023

The role of the hospital pharmacist is evolving, and in many countries pharmacists play an increasingly patient-centred role in healthcare. This study aimed to investigate the development of Danish hospital clinical pharmacy services from 2008 to 2023 and compare their current state to the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) statements of clinical pharmacy services.

Four Danish reports describing the current state of clinical pharmacy in Danish hospitals released in 2008, 2013, 2019 and 2023 were analysed and compared. The reports' data were obtained through questionnaires sent to all hospital pharmacies in Denmark. Data on staff resources and the clinical pharmacy services provided by all hospital pharmacies were extracted, analysed using descriptive statistics and compared with the EAHP statements of hospital clinical pharmacy services.

The number of clinical pharmacists increased by 85% from 2008 to 2023, and the number of pharmaconomists (Danish title of a healthcare professional with responsibilities comparable to a pharmacy technician) increased by 59% from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, there were 2.77 pharmaconomists for every pharmacist employed. The pharmaconomist ratio/100 beds increased from 1.93 in 2013 to 3.92 in 2023. The pharmacist ratio/100 beds increased from 0.54 in 2008 to 1.41 in 2023. In 2023, the main patient-level services provided by pharmacists were medication reviews, medication histories and reconciliation, and dispensing and administration. The main pharmaconomist services were dispensing and administration, medication histories and reconciliation, and prescription reviews. The time spent on clinical pharmacy services shifted towards patient-level services over the years. Furthermore, clinical pharmacy services shifted towards greater fulfilment of the EAHP statements.

By providing an overview and comparing Danish clinical pharmacy services to the EAHP statements, we have identified areas for further development, such as the hospital pharmacist being an integral part of all patient care teams, to guide future research and practice.