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Ramez Al Koudmani

Lecturer

Academic Qualifications

  • Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacy Practice)
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Areas of Interest
Clinical Pharmacy
Pharmacy Practice
Social Pharmacy
Administrative Pharmacy
E-learning
Ai in Pharmacy
Health
Telehealth
Research

 

Current research project (PI/Co-PI)

Collaboration

Status

Current Views and Perspectives on E-Mental Health: An Exploratory Survey Study for Understanding Public Attitudes toward Internet-Based Psychotherapy in Germany.

University of Hagen

Completed.

Pharmacovigilance in Gulf Countries: Challenges and Opportunities 

Ministry of Health, Kuwait

Completed

 

Publications

  1. Apolinário-Hagen, J., Vehreschild, V., & Alkoudmani, R. M. (2017). Current views and perspectives on e-mental health: an exploratory survey study for understanding public attitudes toward internet-based psychotherapy in Germany. JMIR mental health, 4(1), e6375.
  2. Alkoudmani, R. M., Ooi, G. S., & Tan, M. L. (2023). Implementing a chatbot on Facebook to reach and collect data from thousands of health care providers: PharmindBot as a case. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 63(5), 1634-1642.
  3. Alkoudmani, R. M., & Elkalmi, R. M. (2015). Challenges to web-based learning in pharmacy education in Arabic language speaking countries. Archives of Pharmacy Practice, 6(3).
  4. Elkalmi, R. M., Alkoudmani, R. M., Elsayed, T. M., Ahmad, A., & Khan, M. U. (2016). Effect of religious beliefs on the smoking behaviour of university students: Quantitative findings from Malaysia. Journal of religion and health, 55, 1869-1875.
  5. Alkoudmani, R. M., Elkalmi, R. M., Apolinário-Hagen, J., Alkhoshaiban, A. S., & Al-Essa, R. K. (2021). Pharmacists’ familiarity with e-learning in transferring pharmaceutical knowledge in the Arab world. Archives Of Pharmacy Practice, 12(2-2021), 34-39.
  6. Alkoudmani, R. M., Elkalmi, R. M., Hassali, M. A., & Apolinário-Hagen, J. (2021). The effect of generic medicines e-learning course via Web 2.0 tools on knowledge of pharmacists and pharmacy students. Pharmacy Education, 21, 679-689.
  7. Alkoudmani, R., Hassali, M. A., Allela, O. Q. B. A., Elkalmi, R., & Al-Essa, R. K. (2021). Acceptance of Pharmacist’s Extended Roles by other Healthcare Providers in the Arab Region. Archives of Pharmacy Practice, 12(4-2021), 29-34.
  8. Elkalmi, R. M., Elnaem, M. H., Rayes, I. K., Alkodmani, R. M., Elsayed, T. M., & Jamshed, S. Q. (2018). Perceptions, knowledge and practice of self-medication among undergraduate pharmacy students in Malaysia: A cross sectional study. Journal of pharmacy practice and community medicine, 4(3), 132-136.
  9. Elkalmi, R. M., Elnaem, M. H., Elsayed, T. M., Salawi, A. A., Alkadmani, R. M., & Allela, O. Q. (2021). Disparity and compatibility, familiarity and perception among waterpipe tobacco smokers (Shisha) in Malaysia: A comparative study. Archives of Pharmacy Practice, 12(1), 21-30.
  10. ElKalmi, R. M., Al-Shami, A. K., Alkoudmani, R. M., Al-Syed, T., Al-Lela, O. Q. B., & Patel, I. (2015). Knowledge, attitudes and risk perceptions towards human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) among health sciences students in a Public University, Malaysia. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine, 1(1).
  11. Elkalmi, R. M., Alshami, A. K. M., Ahmad, A., Umair, M., Khan, N. S. A. R., & Alkoudmani, R. M. (2015). Assessment of learning style preferences of pharmacy students: Findings from public university of Malaysia. Indian J Pharm Educ Res, 49(4), 266-71.
  12. Al-Lela, O. Q. B., Al-Kalmi, R. M., Alkoudmani, R. M., Awadh, A. I., Jamshed, S. Q., & Al-Shami, A. K. (2015). Using Community Website as an Informal Learning Environment among Malaysian Pharmacy Students. American Journal of Educational Research, 3(5), 658-661.

Journal reviewers

Journal of Medical Research

 

I had the privilege of serving as an enthusiastic and engaged reviewer for JMIR Publications, Inc. My deep-seated passion lies in the realm of research projects related to mHealth, eHealth, and the utilization of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in healthcare. JMIR Publications, Inc. is a dynamic and rapidly expanding academic publisher at the forefront of innovation. It has evolved from the origins of JMIR (Journal of Medical Internet Research), which commenced as a small, independent open-access initiative hosted at a university in 1998. Over time, JMIR grew into the most influential journal in the field of medical informatics, boasting an impressive Impact Factor of 7.08. My involvement as a reviewer with JMIR Publications, Inc. reflects my commitment to advancing knowledge and research in these critical areas of healthcare technology, and I am dedicated to contributing to the continued growth and success of this influential platform.

Community engagement

In August 2011, I initiated an e-learning project with the aim of enhancing the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals in the Arab region concerning the appropriate and safe usage of medications. This project culminated in the launch of "Pharmind" (https://www.pharmind.net) in November 2014, an online educational platform that emerged because of my master’s degree in pharmacy Practice. The primary objectives of Pharmind encompassed raising awareness about the proper and safe use of medicines in the MENA region, offering continuous pharmaceutical education, making pharmacy education more engaging for future pharmacists, and fostering collaboration and relationships between pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Through Pharmind, thousands of pharmacy students, pharmacists, physicians, and nurses have improved their understanding of therapeutics and found answers to numerous questions related to medication therapy. The platform facilitates convenient, on-the-go learning via smartphones or personal laptops. Pharmind leveraged cutting-edge online educational technologies, including Quipper® and Schoology®, to enhance the learning experience. Notably, Pharmind successfully utilized Facebook® as a popular social media platform and Schoology® as a learning management system (LMS) to deliver an online course on generic medicines tailored for pharmacists and pharmacy students. I subsequently published the outcomes of this initiative in the Pharmacy Education Journal of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). For assessing the knowledge of healthcare professionals on pharmacotherapeutics, Quipper® served as an online assessment tool, featuring over 700 multiple-choice questions. Participants could access their scores and detailed reports. We received a certificate of verification from Quipper on January 21, 2021, signed by Tomoaki Suga, Business Development Manager at Quipper, Japan. This recognition enabled us to provide pharmacy educators worldwide with access to our online school, allowing them to administer interactive assessments. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we introduced the Pharmind Courses platform (https://www.pharmind.net/learn) and offered a range of courses to support healthcare professionals during these challenging times. Our official Facebook® page, @CPE4EVER, established in 2011, has garnered an impressive following of over 700k individuals, including both the public and healthcare providers. Over the past three years, from April 2019 to May 2022, our Facebook page reached and engaged more than 4 million people. This remarkable outreach was achieved by implementing an artificial intelligence conversational chatbot known as "PharmindBot," which I developed as part of my PhD project. Furthermore, we actively utilized other social media platforms such as LinkedIn®, Telegram®, WhatsApp®, Instagram®, and Twitter® to expand our online presence. Facebook® Insights data revealed that our followers represented a diverse audience spanning more than 50 countries.These achievements demonstrate my dedication to advancing pharmaceutical education, promoting the responsible use of medications, and leveraging innovative technologies to enhance learning experiences for healthcare professionals and students.

With an extensive background spanning over a decade in the field of e-learning and teaching, I have amassed a wealth of experience in conceptualizing and implementing courses tailored to the specific needs of healthcare providers within the Arab region. This expertise has culminated in the development and delivery of numerous courses, all facilitated through our dedicated online platform, Pharmind (https://www.pharmind.net/learn). One particularly notable accomplishment was the collaborative launch of an online course in December 2015, meticulously designed to cater to the educational requirements of Arab pharmacists and pharmacy students. This endeavor was carried out in collaboration with the esteemed University Sains Malaysia (USM) and bore the title "Understanding Generic Medicines: What Health Care Professionals Should Know." In this project, I assumed dual roles as both the developer and coordinator, with the course being closely overseen by Prof. Dr. Ramadan Elkalmi and subject to comprehensive review by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Azmi Hassali. The success of this initiative was underscored by its delivery through the platforms Schoology® and Facebook®, with a course duration spanning 4 weeks. Participants who met the course requirements were duly rewarded with certificates of participation, acknowledging their accomplishments. My commitment to enhancing healthcare education in the Arab region extended to thedevelopment of additional online courses.My impact on the e-learning domain is not limited to practical experience alone. I have also actively shared my knowledge and insights through the publication of articles that reflect upon my experiences in the realm of online learning. My unwavering belief in the significance of being well-prepared for the imminent digital transformations in the era of the 4th industrial revolution underscores my dedication to remaining at the forefront of educational innovation.

Instructed courses

Latest 3 Courses I Instructed

 

1. Practical Pharmaceutical Expertise for Community and Hospital Pharmacists

The course is specifically tailored to address the challenges faced by pharmacists who encounter interruptions in the development of their pharmaceutical expertise post-graduation. These interruptions can be attributed to a range of factors, including the demands of professional and family life. Many pharmacists express concerns about the loss of drug-related knowledge acquired during their studies and their difficulties in applying this knowledge in their practice. The course has been meticulously designed to assist both community and hospital pharmacists in restoring and refining their pharmacological expertise, ultimately enhancing the quality of pharmaceutical care they provide in their daily work. Additionally, the course extends its benefits to trainee pharmacists in their final years before graduation, providing them with valuable insights and knowledge. It is also relevant to other healthcare providers, including doctors and nurses, offering a valuable resource to augment their pharmaceutical understanding.

 

2. Pharmind Antibiotics Review

After closely observing thousands of healthcare professionals on social media, a significant issue regarding antibiotics has come to light. Many specialists struggle to apply their knowledge effectively when it comes to antibiotic therapy in healthcare settings, whether it be in pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals. This misuse of antibiotics often worsens the problem of bacterial resistance to these drugs. In response to this pressing need, we have created the Pharmind Antibiotics Review Course. This course is designed to bridge the gap by offering hundreds of invaluable tips and insights related to antibiotic therapy in healthcare facilities. It is intended to help doctors, pharmacists, and nurses refresh their knowledge, fill in any gaps, and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field of antibiotic therapy.

 

3. Understanding Generic Medicines: What Healthcare Professionals Should Know

This course is structured into four distinct parts to provide comprehensive insights into generic medicines. The course commences with an overview of generic medicines, offering definitions from both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the FDA. Part two delves into the advantages of using generic medicines in the treatment of chronic illnesses, emphasizing their role in delivering safe and cost-effective treatment. In the third part, detailed information about the quality, efficacy, and safety of generic medicines is presented. Special focus is given to bioequivalent testing and bioavailability, critical factors in ensuring the effectiveness of generic drugs. The final

 

part explores important considerations surrounding brand switching, a topic of significance for pharmacists. It imparts key skills and knowledge related to brand switching and concludes with a summary of the course's main points. By the end of this course, participants will have gained a comprehensive understanding of generic medicines, their benefits, quality assurance, and considerations when dealing with brand switching in the pharmaceutical field.

Award & achievements

Awards

 

1. Financial Research Reward by Arab Youth Center (UAE), March 2020

One of my research projects published internationally received a financial reward from the United Arab Emirates by an initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to support Arab researchers and scholars.

 

Achievements

 

1. Recognized as Scientific Committee Member at Syrian Pharmacists Association

I have been nominated by Syrian Pharmacists Association to be an active Scientific Committee Member on 27/8/2019 towards the development of continuing education for Syrian pharmacy practitioners in Syria.

 

2. Team Leader of Arab pharmacists publishing scientific articles in both Arabic and English languages

As the leader of a substantial team of dedicated Arab pharmacists, our primary focus is on sharing our collective expertise within the realm of pharmacy practice through articles published on the Pharmind platform. These articles are thoughtfully crafted in both Arabic and English languages, with the intention of reaching thousands of healthcare providers. Our aim is to empower these professionals with the knowledge and skills required to deliver exceptional healthcare to patients. A fundamental objective underpinning our efforts is to significantly enrich the Arabic scientific content pertaining to the field of pharmacy. The collaborative spirit within our team has thrived, particularly during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic, where we harnessed novel teamwork tools to ensure productive and efficient remote work. We firmly believe that the future of work and collaboration will increasingly rely on remote working practices. For a comprehensive overview of our published articles, I encourage you to explore the "Published Articles in Arabic" section for further insights and detailed information regarding our contributions to advancing the field of pharmacy.

 

3. Implementing a ChatBot for Educational and Research purposes

In the period from 2019 to 2020, I successfully introduced a conversational chatbot known as "PharmindBot" on the Pharmind Facebook® page. This innovative addition garnered significant interest, with over 170,000 fans subscribing to PharmindBot by December 2021. PharmindBot emerged as a powerful tool for engaging healthcare professionals in the Arab region, facilitating interactions with educational content shared on the Pharmind Facebook® page.