A brief history of pharmacy specialization in the United States

Brian L. Erstad, Charles Edwin Webb

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The origins of pharmacy specialization has its beginning in the efforts of Harvey A. K. Whitney, Sr. through his leadership in establishing progressive hospital pharmacy services and hospital-focused programs and policies within the nation's professional pharmacy organizations. Later, Donald Francke spoke of specialization in the hospital pharmacy setting as a natural outgrowth of practice activities that required more time and specialized expertise. A broader national discussion and eventual codification of specialty recognition and attendant certification within pharmacy began in 1971 with a policy statement approved by the APhA House of Delegates that led to the creation of a Task Force on Specialties in Pharmacy followed by the creation of the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS). Given that specialization in any health profession is primarily a function of the reality of ever-increasing scientific and technological developments, debate regarding the need, types, and value of specialization in pharmacy seem destined to be driven not by intra- or inter-professional debates within pharmacy, but by the needs, expectations, and values of patients and health care systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1464-1470
Number of pages7
JournalJACCP Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy
Volume3
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2020

Keywords

  • clinical pharmacist
  • pharmacist
  • pharmacy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology (medical)
  • Pharmaceutical Science
  • Pharmacy

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