In the United States, pharmacists are responsible for the provision of safe, effective, efficient, and accountable medication related-care for hospital and health-system patients. Leveraging automated technologies, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacist extenders are the means through which efficient, effective, and safe medication use processes are created and maintained. These strategies limit the amount of pharmacist resources needed for nonjudgmental tasks such as medication distribution, allowing more capacity for advanced direct patient care roles.Pharmacists are directly integrated into interprofessional medical teams. Pharmacists optimize patient outcomes through a variety of channels, including: providing recommendations for evidence-based medication selection on patient care rounds; offering drug information to other health care providers and patients; monitoring therapeutic responses; and reconciling medications as patients transition across the continuum of care.Achieving the highest level of pharmacy practice necessitates that United States pharmacists are soundly educated and trained. Pharmacist education, training, and professional practice models closely mirror those of physicians. Many health-systems also pursue credentialing and privileging of pharmacists to ensure competency and facilitate growth and development. Advanced training, along with credentialing, privileging, and collaborative practice agreements have positioned pharmacists to serve as stewards of the medication use system, champions of patient safety, and essential contributors to optimal patient outcomes.

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T he two most recent American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) national surveys 1,2 of pharmacy practice in hospital settings defined practice models as "how pharmacy department resources are used to provide patient care services. This includes how pharmacists practice and what services are provided in the care of patients, the role of pharmacy technicians in supporting patient care, and the use of automation and technology in the medication-use process." 2 For the profession to achieve consensus and consistency, it is critical to establish a clear taxonomy of terms to describe our practice models. The authors of the aforementioned ASHP surveys have proposed terminology to describe what are believed to be the three most commonly used pharmacy practice models. 1,2 These definitions are general, and we recognize that actual practice in most hospitals involves a blend of these models.Drug-distribution-centered model. Anderson 3 noted that "the traditional structure of most pharmacy departments is built around drug distribution, acquisition, and control." In this model, medication distribution and the processing of medication orders constitute the singular focus of the pharmacy department. There is little proactive involvement of pharmacists in medication selection or monitoring. In most cases, pharmacists are rel-64111 (twoods@saint-lukes.org).

The formation of a task force led to the successful passage of a bill granting the Kansas Board of Pharmacy the authority to issue regulations regarding mandatory pharmacy technician certification.

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