2005 pan-European Survey on EJHP

The European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP) is the only official channel of communication of the EAHP with its members, and EJHP is distributed to more than 17,000 members of the EAHP. The circulation figures are subject to BPA circulation audit. BPA is a not-for-profit organisation who sets the standard for thoroughness, accuracy, transparency and time lines in media and events audits.

Nearly as much interest was shown in the EJHP as in pharmacists' national journals.

More than threequarters (77%) of hospital pharmacists in Europe read the EJHP regularly, well ahead of the figures for other international pharmacy journals.

The EJHP has been in existence since 1995 to serve and support hospital pharmacy in their care for patients, and the professionalism of EJHP is maintained in every issue.

*Update: technology, therapeutic, management; General: on the web, in this issue, events

All sections of the EJHP were rated good to medium and all sections had an audience. Most favourably received were the Cover Story, Country Focus, Feature, Update and Scientific sections.

The Scientific section has gone on to develop into EJHP Science, now appearing as a separate journal of about 25 pages per issue published at a minimum of four issues per year. The Scientific section continues in EJHP Practice under the Practice Research and Innovation section publishing practice-related research papers.

Hospital pharmacy is a rapidly changing profession and hospital pharmacists need to keep up-to-date. The EJHP helps hospital pharmacists to follow these changes and development with accurate and up-to-date information. It is therefore encouraging to see that more than 40% of pharmacies sometimes use the EJHP for training purposes to improve the pharmaceutical care given to the patients.

EJHP plays an important role in various educational initiatives by publishing structured editorial content as well as reporting on major relevant congresses. EJHP is vastly used and appreciated in non-native English speaking countries (76% of the total circulation) in various regions of Europe for training and educational purposes.

Notes (data based on circulation data of EJHP December 2007):

1. Benelux: Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands (8% of the total circulation)
2. Eastern Europe: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia (4%)
3. Germanic countries: Austria, Germany, Switzerland (12%)
4. Great Britain and Ireland (24%)
5. Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway (7%)
6. Southern Europe: France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain (41%)
7. Others (4%)

EJHP Science was created to satisfy an unmet need in Europe: to provide a strong platform for the scientific output of the pharmacy profession and related disciplines, as well as original research, reviews, case studies and scientific commentaries are invited. Furthermore the editorial content of EJHP Science includes topics such as pharmacoeconomics, clinical, social and technical pharmacy.

The survey results show medium to strong interest in publishing papers from all areas of Europe in EJHP Science. The importance and function of EJHP Science is acknowledged by the EJHP readers who do regard the scientific publication as professional; 70% will publish their research in EJHP Science.

The EJHP Science will be applying for indexation in the coming year.

Whether it be a "pure science" paper or a "practice, research and innovation" report, EJHP is a good place to publish research projects. More than 50% of hospital pharmacists in countries across Europe were interested in publishing research work in EJHP Science and share their knowledge within the hospital pharmacists' environment.

It is encouraging to see that 65% of the members from South European countries are interested in publishing research work in EJHP Science. These countries form 39% of the total circulation of EJHP.