Associate Professor Jonathan Penm
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Associate Professor Jonathan Penm

BPharm (Hons), GradCertEdStud (Higher Ed), PhD, FFIP, FPS, FAdPha, FHEA, FANZCAP (PainMgmt, Research)
Associate Professor and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow
Sydney Pharmacy School
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Phone
+61 2 8627 5806
Fax
+61 2 9351 4391
Details
Websites
Associate Professor Jonathan Penm

Associate Professor Jonathan Penm (BPharm (Hons), GradCertEdStud (Higher Ed), PhD) is a Pharmacist, Associate Professor and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow (EL2) at the School of Pharmacy, University of Sydney. He has extensive experience in conducting health service research to reduce opioid-related harms and is an international leader in hospital pharmacy research (top 0.072%, Expertscape). He serves as Chair (2019-current) of the Research Leadership Group for the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (> 5,000 members, peak Australian hospital pharmacy association) and Past Chair/Vice Chair (2014-current) of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Hospital Pharmacy Section (>4 million pharmacists in >100 countries).


Associate Professor Penm is a pharmacist with expertise in opioid safety and health service interventions to reduce medication-related harms. Associate Professor Penm’s research has reduced harms through cohort studies, case-control studies and randomised controlled trials. Associate Professor Penm is currently CIA on 2 MRFF grants (MRFMMIP000023, MRF2022763) and has extensive experience in improving prescribing and medication use (with additional focus on opioids). Associate Professor Penm has strong grounding in research methodology, published over 150 high-quality international papers, and translated their research into practice in the healthcare setting and through development of best-practice guidelines. Associate Professor Penm’s current research program focuses on reducing medication and opioid-related harms by evaluating innovative health services in both surgical and medical populations.

Associate Professor Penm is passionate about improving medication/opioid use and safety in hospitals and at transitions of care. Associate Professor Penm is involved in a variety or research topics, including opioid stewardship, transition of care stewardship, antimicrobial stewardship, anticoagulant stewardship and evaluation of digital health in hospitals. He is also involved in improving medication safety at transitions of care by using pharmacy students to complete medication reconciliation and partnered pharmacist medication charting.

Associate Professor Penm also continues to collaborate with his colleagues in the USA and UK in medication safety issues.

Undergraduate Pharmacy Program 3rd year coordinator

Coordinates: PHAR3912: Musculoskeletal, Dermatological and Senses

Teaches:

  • Antimicrobials
  • Pain management
  • Medication safety
  • Eye health, Glaucoma, Eye infections

Current members of A/Prof Penm's team include:

  • Ganga Ratnanayagam - Project Manager
  • Jenny Chen - Research Assistant
  • Klaudia Englezos- Research Assistant
  • Brydget Aguilar- Research Assistant
  • Davinia He- Research Assistant
  • Chi Tran - Opioid Safety Pharmacist
  • Renee Quirk- Opioid Safety Pharmacist

Improving opioid, anticoagulant and antimicrobial use in hospitals

Improving medication management at transitions of care in hospitals.

Use of an electronic medication management system to improve medication safety in hospitals

International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)

  • Secretary, Hospital Pharmacy Section (HPS) executive committee
  • Vice-chair, World Hospital Pharmacy Research Consortium (WHoPReC)

The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA)

  • Chair, Research Leadership Committee
  • Vice-Chair, NSW Branch

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA)

Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA)

Health Standards Organization (HSO)

  • Medication Management Technical Committee

NHMRC Invesitgator Grant (EL2) 2025

Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia 2024

Sydney Research Accelerator (SOAR) prizes, University of Sydney 2023

Fellow, International Pharmaceutical Federation 2021

Emerging Leader Award,Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) Virtual Conference 2021

Top global expert hospital pharmacy service (Ranked 8 in the world, Expertscape 2023)

Fellow, Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia 2017

Faculty of Pharmacy Teaching Excellence Award, University of Sydney, 2017

Clinical Innovation Award,Pharmacopoeia iOS application, Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital. 2012

Award for Excellence,Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital. 2012

Young Alumni Award for Achievement,Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, 2012

Young Pharmacist Award for Professional Innovation,International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), 2010

Project titleResearch student
Pharmacist-led Anticoagulation StewardshipJulianne CHONG
Antimicrobial stewardship in AustraliaFiona DOUKAS
Responsible Opioid use for Hip and knee ArthropLasty (OpioidHALT2)Katelyn JAUREGUI
Rural adaptation of the Pharmacie-R tool to predict readmission to hospitalLinda KROGH
Timely post-discharge medication reviews to Improve Continuity – the Transitions Of Care stewardship (TIC TOC) study in rural and regional AustraliaKingston YEUNG

Publications

Book Chapters

  • Penm, J., Goldberg, I. (2019). Management of Eye and Ear Disorders and the Pharmacist's Role: Glaucoma. In Not known (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, (pp. V3A-562). TBC. [More Information]
  • Chen, V., Penm, J. (2019). Management of Eye Disorders and the Pharmacist's Role: Eye Infections. In Not known (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, (pp. V3A-580). TBC. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2013). Investment Opportunities in Australia's Healthcare Stock Markets After the Recent Global Financial Crisis. In Carsten S. Wehn, Christian Hoppe, Greg N. Gregoriou (Eds.), Rethinking Valuation and Pricing Models: Lessons Learned from the Crisis and Future Challenges, (pp. 585-598). Oxford: Academic Press. [More Information]

Journals

  • Prasad, N., Penm, J., Watson, D., Tran, B., Dai-Keller, Z., Tan, E. (2025). Association between self-reported pain experiences in hospital and ratings of care, readmission and emergency department visits: a population-based study from New South Wales, Australia. Anaesthesia, 80(3), 269-277. [More Information]
  • Liu, S., Patanwala, A., Stevens, J., Penm, J., Naylor, J. (2024). A pilot multicentre randomised clinical trial to determine the effect of a pharmacist-partnered opioid tapering intervention before total hip or knee arthroplasty. Anaesthesia. [More Information]
  • Van Dort, B., Ritchie, A., Penm, J., Gray, T., Ronnachit, A., Baysari, M. (2024). A tale of 2 digital hospitals: A qualitative study of antimicrobial stewardship teams. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. [More Information]

Conferences

  • Patkal, A., Gawas, M., Kuan, K., Kim, E., Vaghasiya, M., Amrani, R., Chin, W., Penm, J., Gunja, N., Poon, S. (2020). Understanding Clinician Satisfaction in Electronic Medication Management Systems: An fsQCA Approach. 24th Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS 2020), Dubai: Association for Information Systems (AIS).
  • Gawas, M., Patkal, A., Kuan, K., Kim, E., Vaghasiya, M., Amrani, R., Chin, W., Penm, J., Gunja, N., Poon, S. (2020). Understanding Individual Assimilation of Electronic Medication Management Systems Using fsQCA. 26th Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS 2020), Salt Lake City: Association for Information Systems (AIS).
  • Narayan, S., Yu Ho, K., Penm, J., Mintzes, B., Mirzaei, A., Schneider, C., Patanwala, A. (2019). Missing data reporting in clinical pharmacy research. ASCEPT-PAGANZ, Queenstown, New Zealand: Not applicable.

2025

  • Prasad, N., Penm, J., Watson, D., Tran, B., Dai-Keller, Z., Tan, E. (2025). Association between self-reported pain experiences in hospital and ratings of care, readmission and emergency department visits: a population-based study from New South Wales, Australia. Anaesthesia, 80(3), 269-277. [More Information]

2024

  • Liu, S., Patanwala, A., Stevens, J., Penm, J., Naylor, J. (2024). A pilot multicentre randomised clinical trial to determine the effect of a pharmacist-partnered opioid tapering intervention before total hip or knee arthroplasty. Anaesthesia. [More Information]
  • Van Dort, B., Ritchie, A., Penm, J., Gray, T., Ronnachit, A., Baysari, M. (2024). A tale of 2 digital hospitals: A qualitative study of antimicrobial stewardship teams. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. [More Information]
  • Langford, A., Nielsen, S., Penm, J., Reeve, E., Reid, S., Wale, J., Osman, R., Gnjidic, D., Schneider, C., Bero, L., Lin, C., Blyth, F., Jeon, Y., Murnion, B., et al (2024). Context matters: using an Evidence to Decision (EtD) framework to develop and encourage uptake of opioid deprescribing guideline recommendations at the point-of-care. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 165, 111204. [More Information]

2023

  • Langford, A., Nielsen, S., Osman, R., Penm, J., Reeve, E., Reid, S., Schneider, C., Gnjidic, D., Lin, C., Bero, L., Blyth, F., Jeon, Y., Murnion, B., et al (2023). Clinical practice guideline for deprescribing opioid analgesics: summary of recommendations. Medical Journal of Australia, 219(2), 80-89. [More Information]
  • Abu Sardaneh, A., Penm, J., Oliver, M., Gattas, D., McLachlan, A., Patanwala, A. (2023). Comparison of metaraminol versus no metaraminol on time to resolution of shock in critically ill patients. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 30(4), 214-220. [More Information]
  • Liu, S., Patanwala, A., Naylor, J., Levy, N., Knaggs, R., Stevens, J., Bugeja, B., Begley, D., Khor, K., Lau, E., Penm, J., et al (2023). Impact of modified-release opioid use on clinical outcomes following total hip and knee arthroplasty: a propensity score-matched cohort study. Anaesthesia, 78(10), 1237-1248. [More Information]

2022

  • Penm, J., Narayan, S., Alffenaar, J., Johnson, J., Mirkov, S., Page, A., Pont, L., Patanwala, A. (2022). A benchmarking scoping review of research output from hospital pharmacy departments in Australia. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 52(4), 275-282. [More Information]
  • Francis, M., Deep, L., Schneider, C., Moles, R., Patanwala, A., Do, L., Levy, R., Soo, G., Burke, R., Penm, J. (2022). Accuracy of best possible medication histories by pharmacy students: an observational study. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy. [More Information]
  • Baysari, M., Wells, J., Ekpo, E., Makeham, M., Penm, J., Alexander, N., Holden, A., Ubeja, R., McAllister, S. (2022). An Exploratory Study of Allied Health Students' Experiences of Electronic Medical Records During Placements. Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(2), 410-418. [More Information]

2021

  • Langford, A., Gnjidic, D., Lin, C., Bero, L., Blyth, F., Penm, J., Schneider, C. (2021). "The lesser of two evils": a framework analysis of consumers' perspectives on opioid deprescribing and the development of opioid deprescribing guidelines. Pain, 162(11), 2686-2692. [More Information]
  • Al-Samawy, S., Varughese, N., Vaillancourt, R., Wang, X., Penm, J. (2021). A Global Survey on Opioid Stewardship Practices in Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study. Pharmacy, 9(3), 122. [More Information]
  • Lau, C., Marriott, D., Schultz, H., Gould, M., Andresen, D., Wicha, S., Alffenaar, J., Penm, J., Reuter, S. (2021). Assessment of cefepime toxicodynamics: comprehensive examination of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets for cefepime-induced neurotoxicity and evaluation of current dosing guidelines. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 58(6), 106443. [More Information]

2020

  • Avant, N., Penm, J., Hincapie, A., Huynh, V., Gillespie, G. (2020). "Not to exclude you, but…": Characterization of pharmacy student microaggressions and recommendations for academic pharmacy. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 12(10), 1171-1179. [More Information]
  • Lau, C., Marriott, D., Gould, M., Andresen, D., Reuter, S., Penm, J. (2020). A retrospective study to determine the cefepime-induced neurotoxicity threshold in hospitalized patients. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 75(3), 718-725. [More Information]
  • Liu, S., Gnjidic, D., Patanwala, A., Rubin, G., Nielsen, M., Penm, J. (2020). Effect of an electronic medical record design modification on laxative co-prescribing among hospitalised patients taking opioids: A before-and-after study. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 140, 104172. [More Information]

2019

  • Hein, B., Messinger, N., Penm, J., Wigle, P., Buring, S. (2019). Correlation of the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment and Selected Pre-pharmacy and Pharmacy Performance Variables. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(3), 6579. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Vaillancourt, R., Pouliot, A. (2019). Defining and identifying concepts of medication reconciliation: An international pharmacy perspective. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 15(6), 632-640. [More Information]
  • Holland, T., Penm, J., Dinh, M., Aran, S., Chaar, B. (2019). Emergency department physicians' and pharmacists' perspectives on take-home naloxone. Drug and Alcohol Review, 38(2), 169-176. [More Information]

2018

  • Lin, A., Penm, J., Ivey, M., Deng, Y., Commins, M. (2018). Applying lean techniques to reduce Intravenous waste through pre–mixed solutions and increasing production frequency. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 40(1), 2-8. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., MacKinnon, N., Lyons, M., Tolle, E., Sneed, G. (2018). Combatting Opioid Overdoses in Ohio: Emergency Department Physicians' Prescribing Patterns and Perceptions of Naloxone. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 33(5), 608-609. [More Information]
  • Santos, T., Penm, J., Baldoni, A., Ayres, L., Moles, R., Sanches, C. (2018). Hospital pharmacy workforce in Brazil. Human Resources for Health, 16(1), 1-9. [More Information]

2017

  • Jorgenson, D., Penm, J., MacKinnon, N., Smith, J. (2017). A needs assessment of community pharmacists for pharmacist specialization in Canada. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 25(2), 159-167. [More Information]
  • Danielson, J., Hincapie, A., Baugh, G., Rice, L., Sy, E., Penm, J., Albano, C. (2017). Best Practices in Establishing and Sustaining Consortia in Pharmacy Education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 81(2), 1-8.
  • Kim, E., Kuan, K., Vaghasiya, M., Gunja, N., Penm, J., Poon, S. (2017). Evaluating User Satisfaction and Organisational Benefits of Electronic Medication Management System in an Australian Hospital. The 28th Australasian Conference on Information Systems ACIS 2017, Hobart: Australasian Association for Information Systems (AAIS).

2016

  • Bajis, D., Chaar, B., Penm, J., Moles, R. (2016). Competency-based pharmacy education in the Eastern Mediterranean Region - A scoping review. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 8(3), 401-428. [More Information]
  • Braun, L., Forrester, C., Rawlins, M., Levy, R., Penm, J., Graham, M., Mackie, K., Aran, S., Bridle, S., et al (2016). Complementary medicine use by people living with HIV in Australia - a national survey. International Journal of STD and AIDS, 27(1), 33-38. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Ivey, M., MacKinnon, N., Winkle, J. (2016). Developing a sustainable pharmacy leadership workforce. Ohio Pharmacist, , 15-17.

2015

  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2015). Clinical pharmacy services that influence prescribing in the Western Pacific Region based on the FIP Basel Statements. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 37(3), 485-496. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2015). Hospital pharmacy services in the Pacific Island countries. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 21(1), 51-56. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Rose, G., Moles, R. (2015). Pharmacists' influences on prescribing: Validating a clinical pharmacy services survey in the Western Pacific Region. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 11(1), 63-73. [More Information]

2014

  • Penm, J., Moles, R., Wang, H., Li, Y., Chaar, B. (2014). Factors Affecting the Implementation of Clinical Pharmacy Services in China. Qualitative Health Research, 24(3), 345-356. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Li, Y., Zhai, S., Hu, Y., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2014). The impact of clinical pharmacy services in China on the quality use of medicines: a systematic review in context of China's current healthcare reform. Health Policy and Planning, 29(7), 849-872. [More Information]
  • Moles, R., Chaar, B., Penm, J. (2014). The world hospital pharmacy research consortium-monitoring global practice in relation to the basel statements. Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 67(5), 331-332. [More Information]

2013

  • Kamarudin, G., Penm, J., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2013). Educational interventions to improve prescribing competency: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 3(8), 1-19. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Dechun, J., Moles, R. (2013). Formulary systems and pharmacy and therapeutics committees in the Western Pacific Region: Exploring two Basel Statements. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 70(11), 967-979. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2013). Investment Opportunities in Australia's Healthcare Stock Markets After the Recent Global Financial Crisis. In Carsten S. Wehn, Christian Hoppe, Greg N. Gregoriou (Eds.), Rethinking Valuation and Pricing Models: Lessons Learned from the Crisis and Future Challenges, (pp. 585-598). Oxford: Academic Press. [More Information]

2012

  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2012). Validating a Hospital Medicines Formulary Survey in the Western Pacific Region-A global hospital pharmacy initiative based on the Basel Statements. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 8(4), 298-308. [More Information]

2011

  • Chaar, B., Brien, J., Hanrahan, J., McLachlan, A., Penm, J., Pont, L. (2011). Experimental Education in Australian Pharmacy: Preceptors' Perspectives. Pharmacy Education, 11(1), 166-171.

2010

  • Penm, J., Chaar, B., Moles, R. (2010). Developing a validated survey to assess the Basel Statements. International Pharmacy Journal, 26(2), 34-37.

2009

  • Penm, J., Penm, R., Penm, J., Terrell, R., Hoshino, Y. (2009). Petri net and its application in deadlock detection. International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 6(1), 118-135. [More Information]
  • Penm, J., Chaar, B. (2009). Professional Transgressions by Australian Pharmacists. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 39(3), 192-197. [More Information]

2008

  • Chaar, B., Penm, J. (2008). Misconduct: the pitfall of pharmacy practice. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 16(3 (Supplement 2)), B17 (Ethics: Professional, Practice and Research)-B18.

2007

  • O'Neill, T., Penm, J., Penm, J. (2007). A subset polynomial neural networks approach for breast cancer diagnosis. International Journal of Electronic Healthcare, 3(3), 293-302. [More Information]

Selected Grants

2024

  • Opioid stewardship for patients undergoing hip and knee replacements, Penm J, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)/Investigator Grant
  • Virtual Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting (VPPMC) to improve medication safety, Penm J, Chambers B, Liu S, Moles R, Carter S, Emadi F, Yeung K, NSW Health/Translational Research Grants Scheme

2023

  • Rewarding Research 2024, Penm J, Faculty of Medicine and Health/FMH Rewarding Research Success
  • FMH Bright Ideas Grant 2023, Penm J, Faculty of Medicine and Health/FMH Bright Ideas Grant 2023
  • Timely post-discharge medication reviews in rural and regional Australia (TIC TOC), Penm J, Moles R, Carter S, Poon S, Department of Health and Aged Care/2022 Quality, Safety and Effectiveness of Medicine Use and Medicine Intervention by Pharmacists Gran
  • Responsible pre-operative Opioid use for Hip and knee ArthropLasTy (OpioidHALT) Study: Opioid tapering in patients prior to hip and knee arthroplasty, Penm J, Patanwala A, Moles R, Chaar B, O'Reilly C, Schneider C, Lintzeris N, Liu S, Department of Health and Aged Care (Federal - administered by NHMRC)/MRFF CRI 2022 Clinician Researchers: Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health

In the media

I’ve been given opioids after surgery to take at home. What do I need to know?

https://theconversation.com/ive-been-given-opioids-after-surgery-to-take-at-home-what-do-i-need-to-know-228615

Top official defends health system, as inquiry hears of massive elective surgery blowout

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/top-official-defends-health-system-as-inquiry-hears-of-massive-elective-surgery-blowout-20221007-p5bo16.html

Hospital pharmacy is the most desirable setting for students and interns – but it’s just not being taken seriously by decision-makers at several levels

https://ajp.com.au/news/why-has-this-been-allowed-to-go-on/

Pharmacists told, ‘Just get them out of the hospital.’

https://ajp.com.au/news/pharmacists-told-just-get-them-out-of-the-hospital/

E-prescriptions are coming. But what are they? And is this the end of paper ones?

https://theconversation.com/e-prescriptions-are-coming-but-what-are-they-and-is-this-the-end-of-paper-ones-148526

Instant prescriptions might be the way of our digital future, but we need to manage the risks first

https://theconversation.com/instant-prescriptions-might-be-the-way-of-our-digital-future-but-we-need-to-manage-the-risks-first-131308

Weekly Dose: phenibut – the Russian anti-anxiety drug linked to Gold Coast teens’ overdoses

https://theconversation.com/weekly-dose-phenibut-the-russian-anti-anxiety-drug-linked-to-gold-coast-teens-overdoses-92339