American Society of Health-System Pharmacists


American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is a professional organization that represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in acute and ambulatory care settings. The organization's 45,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. For more than 75 years, ASHP has been at the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety.
ASHP provides the only comprehensive, unbiased, nationally available resource for drug shortage information in the U.S.

History

By 1939, a subsection of hospital pharmacists was formed in the American Pharmaceutical Association, and for the first time, hospital pharmacists had a voice in a national organization. In 1942, hospital pharmacists established the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, affiliated with APhA. In 1947, ASHP and APhA jointly established a hospital pharmacy division with permanent staffing.

Aim

The aim of the society is to advance and support the professional practice of pharmacists in hospitals and health systems and serve as their voice on issues related to medication use and public health. ASHP provides legislative advocacy on health system pharmacy issues, partly to achieve public policy that helps people make the best use of medicines.
ASHP provides professional advocacy on health system pharmacy issues to government agencies, such as Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and healthcare organizations like Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and Institute of Medicine.

Publications

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