Pharmacists in the emergency department play a crucial role in upfront decision making around medicines for patients presenting with various medical conditions.
Cristina Roman, is the Lead Pharmacist at Alfred Emergency Trauma Centre. In her 12 years working in the Emergency Department, Cristina has established pharmacy services, and filled gaps in patient care with new models of care.
One of those models of care adopted by the US and other countries, is involving pharmacists for critically unwell patients that present to the emergency department.
Through her investigations, Cristina has considered how pharmacy services can impact stroke care, sepsis and trauma outcomes.
Thrombolytic therapy is crucial in ischaemic strokes, as every minute with a blood clot in the brain increases the risk of permanent disability for the patient.
Pharmacists can play a crucial role in identifying patients appropriate for thrombolysis and assisting with the administration of high-risk medications like thrombolysis for stroke patients. This can mean faster thrombolysis to eligible patients, shaping the scope of practice for the emergency medicine pharmacist.
In addition, her studies have also shown the involvement of pharmacists in sepsis calls improves time to antibiotic administration, particularly for patients in ICU care. The evidence has shown better outcomes for the most unwell patients.
Nurses and medical staff at Alfred Hospital are now actively pulling pharmacists into scenarios, highlighting the value and benefit of their involvement in patient care.
This model of care for emergency departments involving pharmacists has gained international interest and is continuing to expand.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Cristina Roman and Lisa Bremner, Advanced Training Resident Pharmacist at Alfred Hospital Emergency Trauma Centre.
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Strengthening Evidence Through Health Research Where Most People Access Healthcare
In February 2025, the Australian Government committed over $22 million for primary care research, including $5.2m awarded to Professor Michael Kidd, Director of the International Centre for Future Health Systems at UNSW and recently appointed Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, to lead the establishment of one of the largest research collaborations in Australia focused on improving primary care.
The Royal Australian College of GPs says a new national multidisciplinary consortium for primary care research is a positive step forward to improve patient care.
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The Case for Embedded Pharmacy in Residential Aged Care
Embedded pharmacy in residential aged care has been successful in South Australia at the Tanunda Lutheran Home in the Barossa Valley. Julian Soriano talks about his pharmacy role in medication management and medication safety to deliver the best clinical care for residents.
In this segment, Julian talks about the traditional pharmacy model serving residential aged care and the limitations of the imprest process for dispensing medication. Soon into the project he saw the collaboration required with GPs and onsite nurses in dispensing medication for residents in end-of-life or palliative care. Julian sees the imprest process unable to support end-of-life residents, even being able to check the availability of medication.
But what most may not be aware of, is his rapid growth since starting the business in 2013 having just been in health care a few years earlier. Being part of a 2nd generation health care family, Shawn learnt from his father on site and at trade show visits overseas. Prior to HPA, he spent 2 years working in fit-outs of operating theatres, neo-natal and general population ICU, throughout being more fascinated with what he saw. -
Study reveals socioeconomic barriers to children’s healthcare access
Research published in the Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP) has revealed mental health and developmental–behavioural issues such as ADHD are the most common paediatric referrals in metropolitan general practices.
But the research also revealed children at higher risk are less likely to get the care they may need.
