1. The History of Pharmacy Technicians
Hospital pharmacies and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) were major advocates for employing pharmacy technicians in pharmacy settings beginning in the 1950s. At that time, the job title “pharmacy technician” had not yet been utilized.
Pharmacy technicians were initially more standardized in hospital pharmacies versus community or retail pharmacies. In 1974, the then National Association of Retail Druggists voiced its opposition to the use of pharmacy technicians because of potential public safety concerns, although chain pharmacies had been employing pharmacy techs.
According to the “2002 White Paper on Pharmacy Technicians,” “As the need for technicians in both settings became increasingly apparent, however, many pharmacists and pharmacy educators began to call for collaborative discussions and greater standardization on a number of issues related to pharmacy technicians, and in recent years, progress has been made toward this goal.”
Approximately 25 to 30 years after the National Association of Retail Druggists’ objection, 70% of pharmacy technicians were working in community pharmacies and 20% in hospital/health system pharmacies.
2.The History of Pharmacy Technician Training
Formal pharmacy technician training dates back at least to the early 1940s with programs delivered in armed forces. In the late 1960s, hospitals began delivering formal training programs for pharmacy technicians, and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare proposed that junior colleges start developing “pharmacist aide” programs. The number of pharmacy tech training programs rose in the 1970s. In the 1980s, the ASHP provided guidelines to hospital pharmacists so they could deliver quality training. “ASHP recommended minimum entry requirements for trainees and a competency evaluation that included written, oral and practical components,” states the “2002 White Paper on Pharmacy Technicians.” Community and vocational colleges began implementing the ASHP guidelines as well to develop associate degree and certificate programs.
3. Accredited Pharmacy Technician Programs
According to the Pharmacy Technician Information Center, results from an ASHP survey done in 2009 revealed that, “60 percent of pharmacy practice managers said that they offer or would offer tuition assistance for technicians who participate in an accredited training program.” This is a numerical indicator of how employers prefer to hire pharmacy technicians who have attended an ASHP-accredited program. Also, some state pharmacy boards require their pharmacy techs to have attended such a program.
4. Increasing Value of Pharmacy Technnicians
Recognizing their important function in assisting pharmacists and fulfilling vital pharmacy roles, pharmacy technicians are becoming regulated by more and more state boards of pharmacy.
“In 1993, only 12 states regulated pharmacy technicians,” states a 2010 Journal of American Pharmacist Association article. At present, 39 states regulate pharmacy technicians through licensure, certification, or registration. It is estimated that there are over 280,000 technicians regulated by state boards of pharmacy.”
You can locate your state’s board of pharmacy (to find out about their particular pharmacy tech requirements) by visiting the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy: www.nabp.net/boards-of-pharmacy.
5. The 2015 Vision
Starting about a decade ago, the JCPP (Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners) has communicated a “Future Vision for Pharmacy Practice 2015.” Its vision statement is “Pharmacists will be the health care professionals responsible for providing patient care that ensures optimal medication therapy outcomes.” This vision cannot be carried out without the help of pharmacy technicians. Successfully fulfilling their duties allows pharmacists to dedicate more time to patient care.
