Dr. Gourley et al., COMPETENCE, BOARD CERTIFICATION, CREDENTIALING, AND SPECIALIZATION - WHO BENEFITS, American journal of managed care, 3(5), 1997, pp. 795-801
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Heath Policy & Services","Medicine, General & Internal
Pharmacists are concerned with the rapid changes in the healthcare sys
tem and what the requirements will be for a pharmacist in the near fut
ure. The emergence of hoard certification, credentialing, and other ce
rtification programs for pharmacists are causing significant concern a
mong pharmacists. Pharmacists must assess certification programs and d
ecide on the value of certification to their careers and to the patien
ts they serve. Employers of pharmacists and those paying for healthcar
e and pharmacy services must also evaluate the value of pharmacist cer
tification. Perhaps the most direct and significant benefit of pharmac
ist certification lies in the ability of the pharmacist to provide bet
ter and more comprehensive care to patients or selected groups of pati
ents (eg, diabetic patients). Better and more comprehensive care provi
ded by a pharmacist benefits the patient, other healthcare professiona
ls, the healthcare system generally, and payers of healthcare and phar
macy services. Demonstrated competence of the pharmacist to provide ph
armaceutical care is essential to achieving this benefit. Board certif
ication of pharmacists in current board-recognized specialty areas of
nutrition support pharmacy, pharmacotherapy, psychiatric pharmacy, nuc
lear pharmacy, and oncology pharmacy totaled 2075 board certified phar
macists in the United States as of January 1997.