In short, hospital pharmacists need to become pharmacy leaders. The aim of RSM’s ten-month modular Diploma Programme in Pharmacy Leadership is to help hospital pharmacists to develop the specific business and personal knowledge and skills they need to achieve this.
Driving successful change in health care
“Pharmacists are placed at a crucial intersection in today’s increasingly complex world of health care: potentially they can act as gatekeepers between ‘big pharma’ and patient-care, between hospital- and home-care, between healing and preventative medicine,” says Professor Rob van Tulder, who teaches in the programme and is professor of business-society management at RSM.
Professor Van Tulder added that pharmacists can play a decisive role in driving successful change throughout the whole health care system – but only if they are truly able to show leadership and are willing to develop the skills and insights that are needed to become pro-active in the complex world of health and care. “This programme may prove to be a crucial tool for pharmacy to enter the new age of health care,” said the professor.
Quality control in high-pressure environments
During the Diploma Programme in Pharmacy Leadership, participants will learn how to:
- balance operational demand, capacity and quality in a high-pressure environment
- recognise and develop innovative business models
- empower their team to be prepared for short-term and long-term demands
- understand business finance so they can address financial topics at director level
- shape long-lasting partnerships and beneficial close contacts
- operate the pharmacy so it efficiently complements the therapeutic activities of other departments
- implement their strategy smoothly and efficiently.
Managing hospital pharmacies
Each of the diploma programme’s eight two-day modules is dedicated to an aspect of managing hospital pharmacies; from leadership and team motivation to managing chains of supply and demand. Participants will prepare a business improvement plan which can directly benefit the participant’s work, team, pharmacy and hospital. It is aimed at pharmacists in managing positions at hospital and outpatient pharmacies within a hospital environment; department managers within hospitals; and professionals who are about to take on such responsibilities.
The programme was developed by RSM Executive Education and Good Pharmacy Practice Support (GPP Support), a specialist management consultancy for hospital and outpatient pharmacies. During the highly engaging sessions, participants will learn inspiring expert perspectives from RSM’s world-class faculty members, and coaching is provided throughout the programme.
The first run of the Diploma Programme in Pharmacy Leadership is scheduled to start 20 May 2016, after which the modules are spread over 10 months. Participants will graduate from the diploma programme in April 2017.
