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A brief history of pharmacy specialization in the United States
Author(s) -
Erstad Brian L.,
Webb Charles Edwin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the american college of clinical pharmacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2574-9870
DOI - 10.1002/jac5.1324
Subject(s) - pharmacy , pharmacy practice , specialty , certification , health care , multistate pharmacy jurisprudence examination , clinical pharmacy , medicine , function (biology) , public relations , hospital pharmacy , pharmaconomist , political science , medical education , family medicine , law , evolutionary biology , biology
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.