Associate Professor Chris Freeman - A model of General Practitioner and Pharmacist collaboration in primary care to reduce hospital readmission and ED presentations

Speaker

Associate Professor Chris Freeman (UQ – School of Pharmacy)

Abstract

Pharmacists who are integrated into general practice teams improve a number of clinical and non-clinical patient outcomes, but the impact on hospital readmissions and ED presentations in recently hospitalised patients is unknown. The REMAIN HOME trial was a multi-centre study that integrated pharmacists into 14 general practice teams to review medicine management of patients shortly after hospital discharge and to provide recommendations to GPs.

Speaker Bio

Chris’ major research themes relate to developing the evidence to support future roles for pharmacists in collaborative healthcare settings, reducing harm from inappropriate medication use, and tailoring therapy through personalised medicine.

In 2012, Chris became the first Australian pharmacist to obtain specialisation in ambulatory care pharmacy under the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (USA) and in 2015 was a part of the initial cohort credentialed as Advanced Practice Pharmacists.

Chris was awarded the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Young Pharmacist of the Year in 2011 and the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy’s Consultant Pharmacist of the Year in 2014 for his contribution to the advancement of patient care and to the pharmacy profession.

Amongst other roles, Chris presently works as a Consultant Practice Pharmacist at Camp Hill Healthcare, as a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, and is the National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.