WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Board of Pharmacy Specialties® (BPS), the post-licensure certification organization serving the pharmacy profession, issues a call for petition in pharmacy informatics. In January 2024, the BPS Board of Directors reviewed a job analysis (JA; also known as role delineation study) in pharmacy informatics and determined if the results support further consideration of this new specialty certification.
Board of Pharmacy Specialties logo (PRNewsfoto/Board of Pharmacy Specialties)
For a new specialty to be recognized by BPS and established as a certification program, the petition must address, in detail, each of the following criteria: need, demand, number, time, specialized knowledge, specialized functions, education, training, and transmission of knowledge.
“The call for petition demonstrates the commitment of BPS to advance pharmacy practice by promoting the recognition and value of specialized training, knowledge, and skills in pharmacy and specialty board certification of pharmacists. This call by BPS recognizes the specialized role of pharmacists in the field of Clinical Informatics,” said Cyrine-Eliana Haidar, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FASHP, BPS Board of Directors Chair.
In the review of the 2023 JA, BPS Executive Director, William M. Ellis, MS, RPh, ICE-CCP, stated,
“I want to thank the record number of members of Pharmacy Informatics JA Panel for the contribution of their time and subject matter expertise to this process as well as those pharmacists who participated in the JA validation survey. The role of the informatics pharmacist has evolved to one who specializes in the design, implementation, integration, maintenance, support, and/or optimization of health information technology, systems, and workflows focused on the medication-use process, patient care, and health outcomes. BPS looks forward to receiving a petition to evaluate pharmacy informatics as a pharmacy specialty.”
If BPS receives a petition to recognize pharmacy informatics as a BPS specialty, BPS will review the petition and open the period for public comment. After this period, the BPS Board of Directors will review the petition and public comments, complete its review, and render a decision within six months. If approved as a specialty, a Pharmacy Informatics Specialty Council would be established to work with BPS and its highly qualified psychometric staff to establish eligibility criteria and develop a bank of items for the certification examination.
For more information on the necessary criteria and other factors for consideration, individuals can go to the BPS Petitioner’s Guide for Recognition of a Pharmacy Practice Specialty document.
About the Board of Pharmacy Specialties
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) was established in 1976 as an autonomous division of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). The mission of BPS is to improve patient care by positioning BPS Board-Certified Pharmacist Specialists as integral members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams, through recognition and promotion of specialized training, knowledge, and skills for pharmacists in the United States and internationally. Board certification is a recognized credential for determining which pharmacists are qualified to contribute at advanced practice levels given the rigorous standards mandated by BPS board certification and recertification. BPS currently recognizes more than 60,700 active pharmacist certifications across 15 specialties.
BPS Media Contact
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SOURCE Board of Pharmacy Specialties
