ASHP launches membership org for pharmacy technician workforce
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists announced the creation of The Pharmacy Technician Society, a national membership organization exclusively dedicated to further elevating pharmacy technician roles in patient care and recognizing their important contributions to health care.
Led by and comprised of pharmacy technicians, The Pharmacy Technician Society will provide critical advocacy and advancement opportunities for the pharmacy technician workforce in all patient care settings and offer a range of services, including robust education, professional development, networking, publications and guidelines for the practice of pharmacy technicians.
“Pharmacy technicians play an absolutely critical role in our pharmacy workforce and are vital to achieving optimal medication outcomes and patient care,” said ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz. “ASHP’s new organization, The Pharmacy Technician Society, will have a major impact on current and aspiring pharmacy technicians who perform important patient care roles across the continuum of care. ASHP is proud to draw on our extensive experience in leading education, practice resources and advancements for the pharmacy workforce and offer a new home solely dedicated to empowering pharmacy technicians and their career advancement as part of the healthcare team.”
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects that employment of pharmacy technicians will grow 5% from 2021 to 2023, with more opportunities expected for technicians to expand their roles as increased demand for healthcare services continues. Despite a positive job outlook, recent surveys have highlighted technician workforce challenges, including 74% of hospitals reporting shortages of entry-level pharmacy technicians, according to the 2022 ASHP National Survey of Pharmacy Practice in Hospital Settings.
The creation of The Pharmacy Technician Society will build off of ASHP’s longstanding commitment to pharmacy technicians and further address these critical workforce challenges.
The ASHP Pharmacy Technician Forum, launched in 2018, created the foundation for forming The Pharmacy Technician Society. ASHP is committed to supporting The Pharmacy Technician Society as the home for pharmacy technicians. ASHP is committed to supporting The Pharmacy Technician Society as the home for pharmacy technicians. Activities of the Pharmacy Technician Forum will be transitioned to The Pharmacy Technician Society over time, and pharmacy technician members will automatically receive dual membership to both ASHP and The Pharmacy Technician Society.
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The new organization will make meaningful contributions to the pharmacy profession by supporting advancements in technicians' careers, expanding technician knowledge and skills and providing advocacy and leadership for the technician workforce.
ASHP will be launching the organization later this year.