1Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon.
2INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Epidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie, Beirut, Lebanon.
3Drug Information Center, Order of Pharmacists in Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon.
4Clinical Pharmacy Department, American University Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
5Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
6Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
7Faculty of Medicine, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
The term credential is derived from the Latin word credere, which means “to trust.” The purpose of a credentialing process is to “document and demonstrate that the health care professional being evaluated has attained the credentials and qualifications to provide the scope of care expected for patient care services in a particular setting.”1 The purpose of a privileging process is to guarantee investors that the health care professional being considered for certain privileges has the specific competencies and experience for the specific services the organization provides and/or supports. Processes for the credentialing and privileging of health professionals, including pharmacists, are of increasing importance worldwide, and efforts are continuously aimed at providing and rewarding higher-quality health care services.2
Lebanon is a small, developing country in the Middle East with a population of around 6.1 million.3 To be allowed to practice, all Lebanese pharmacists must be registered at the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon (OPL) after obtaining a license to practice from the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). The MOPH is responsible for recognizing and validating pharmacy diplomas. Despite the constant evolution and the diversification of pharmacists’ roles, Lebanese pharmacists are still under-recognized. Pharmacists now have new opportunities to perform functions and provide new services outside their traditional roles.4 To date, the only two diplomas recognized by the MOPH are “pharmacist” (no matter the degree earned) and “medical laboratory pharmacist.” As such, holders of a Ph.D. or master’s degree are recognized and remunerated similar to holders of a B.S. degree in pharmacy, without regard for their extra knowledge and competencies. The only sector in which postgraduate degrees are recognized and required is academia (Figure 1).
Notes:
- Clinical and professional track pharmacists may join the
academic track when this meets the academic institution’s rules
and regulations.
- All degrees should be from recognized universities/institutions.
BS = Bachelor of Science; DBA = Doctor of Business Administration;
DES = Diplôme d’Études Spécialisées; DIS = Diplôme
Interuniversitaire de Spécialité; DU = University Diploma; HDR =
Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches; PGY1 = Postgraduate Year
One; PGY2 = Postgraduate Year Two; PhD = Doctor of Philosophy;
R1 = Residency Year One.
The OPL is the official pharmacists’ association in Lebanon and the legal partner of the MOPH. The OPL’s mission is to apply the laws, defend the rights of pharmacists, and advance the level of pharmacy practice while fostering the development of scientific competencies. Therefore, because an official credentialing system is lacking in Lebanon, and to align with international standards, the OPL formed a Specialty Committee, which took the initiative of suggesting a decree of specializations and titles in the pharmacy profession (Table 1).5
This official recognition, expected in 2020, will definitely encourage pharmacists to pursue postgraduate education and positively affect the profession by increasing the employability of specialized pharmacists, thus filling out job positions with pharmacists having the appropriate qualifications. In the long run, this recognition is expected to have positive outcomes on patient care.
- Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy (CCP). Credentialing and privileging of pharmacists: a resource paper from the Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2014;71:1891-900.
- Berwick DM, Nolan TW, Whittington J. The triple aim: care, health, and cost. Health Aff 2008;27:759-69.
- World Population Review. Lebanon Population 2019. Available at http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/lebanon-population/. Accessed May 1, 2019.
- Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy; Albanese NP, Rouse MJ. Scope of contemporary pharmacy practice: roles, responsibilities, and functions of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. J Am Pharm Assoc 2010;50:e35-69.
- Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon (OPL). OPL Deliverables. December 2015 – November 2018. Summary of a Mandate. Available at http://opl.org.lb/newdesign/pdf/Pharmacy%20Specialties.pdf. Accessed January 3, 2019.