ArticleBMC health services research2023
Managing the COVID-19 health crisis: a survey of Swiss hospital pharmacies.
Article in BMC health services research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Comparative Study on COVID-19 Dynamics: Mathematical Modeling, Predictions, and Resource Allocation Strategies in Romania, Italy, and Switzerland.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Epidemiology and economic burden of end-stage kidney disease by age, gender, and province among Iranian Hajj pilgrims in 2012-22: a retrospective study of 469,581 participants.BMC nephrology · 2025Article
- Health systems performance in health outcomes, health financing and COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from 31 countries.PloS one · 2025Article
- Cardiovascular Diseases among Iranian Hajj Pilgrims from 2012 to 2022: Prevalence, Trends, and Economic Perspective.Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic strained healthcare systems immensely as of 2020. Switzerland's hospital pharmacies' responses during the first wave were surveyed with a view to improving the quality of pharmaceutical management in future health crises.
methodsAn online survey was sent to the heads of all of Switzerland's hospital pharmacies. The questionnaire was organised into eleven sections of questions covering many topics regarding the management of COVID-19's first wave. Data collection occurred from May to June 2020.
resultsAnalyses were performed using the 43 questionnaires (66%), with at least one answer per questionnaire, out of 65 distributed. Seventeen of 41 pharmacies responding (41%) had existing standard operating procedures or pandemic plans and 95% of these (39/41) set up crisis management steering committees. Twenty-nine of 43 pharmacies responding (67%) created new activities to respond to the pandemic's specific needs. Twenty-six of 39 pharmacies responding (67%) created new drug lists for: COVID-19-specific treatments (85%; 22/26), sedatives (81%; 21/26), anaesthetics (77%; 20/26) and antibiotics (73%; 19/26). Drug availability in designated COVID-19 wards was managed by increasing existing stocks (54%; 22/41 pharmacies) and creating extra storage space (51%; 21/41). Two drugs generated the greatest concern about shortages: propofol (49%; 19/39 pharmacies) and midazolam (44%; 17/39). Remdesivir stocks ran out in 26% of pharmacies (10/39). Twelve of 43 pharmacies (28%) drafted specific new documents to respond to medical needs regarding drug administration, 12 (28%) did so for drug preparation and 10 (23%) did so for treatment choices.
conclusionsSwitzerland's hospital pharmacies encountered many challenges related to the COVID-19 crisis and had to find solutions quickly, effectively and safely. The survey highlighted the key role that hospital pharmacies played in many aspects of the pandemic by providing logistical and clinical support to medical and nursing care teams. The lessons and experiences outlined could be used to improve the quality of hospital pharmacies' readiness for similar future events.
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