The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) will offer the first certification examinations for the cardiology pharmacy and infectious diseases pharmacy specialties in fall 2018. Pharmacists who meet the eligibility criteria and successfully pass the relevant examination will earn the credentials of Board Certified Cardiology Pharmacist (BCCP) or Board Certified Infectious Diseases Pharmacist (BCIDP). These two specialty certifications were officially recognized as stand-alone specialties by BPS in February 2017.
As defined by the petitioning organizations, “Cardiology Pharmacy practice specializes in the delivery of direct patient care services by pharmacists as members of interprofessional healthcare teams, working to ensure the safe and effective use of medications in patients with cardiovascular disease. These specialists focus on disease prevention and treatment, including evidence-based medication use and related care that improve both short- and long-term outcomes for patients. Cardiology specialists practice across the spectrum of care, including ambulatory, acute and intensive care. Pharmacists in this practice review, analyze and monitor multifaceted clinical information to make reasoned decisions for patients with multiple comorbidities and highly complex mediation regimens.”
As defined by the petitioning organizations, “Infectious Diseases Pharmacy practice specializes in the use of microbiology and pharmacology to develop, implement, and monitor drug regimens that incorporate the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of antimicrobials to optimize therapy for patients. The practice requires pharmacists to use clinical and evidence-driven knowledge to develop appropriate antimicrobial therapies to more rapidly resolve infections while decreasing adverse events, complications and resistance. The practice includes direct patient care provided through interprofessional health care teams, collaborative leadership of antimicrobial stewardship programs, education of health care providers, preventive services including immunizations, and advocacy for appropriate antimicrobial utilization. Specialty pharmacy practice in infectious diseases uniquely improves public health by optimizing antimicrobial potential in individual patients and narrowing the resistance trends that occur in society by preventing progression of antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases.”
The two new specialties, together with geriatric pharmacy, which also became part of BPS in 2017, bring the total number of recognized pharmacy specialties to 11 (Figure).
Figure. Timeline for BPS’s recognition of pharmacy specialties.
Applications for both Cardiology Pharmacy and Infectious Diseases Pharmacy examinations will open May 7, 2018. More information on the two specialties is available at www.bpsweb.org/bps-specialties/cardiology-pharmacy and www.bpsweb.org/bps-specialties/infectious-diseases-pharmacy, respectively.