Pharmacy specialities

Pharmacy Specialties

BPS has recognized five specialty practice areas: nuclear pharmacy (1978), nutrition support pharmacy (1988), pharmacotherapy (1988), psychiatric pharmacy (1992), and oncology pharmacy (1996). The table accompanying this package illustrates the growth in numbers of BPS-certified specialists in each specialty.

Nuclear Pharmacy seeks to improve and promote public health through the safe and effective use of radioactive drugs for diagnosis and therapy. A nuclear pharmacist, as a member of the nuclear medicine team, specializes in procurement, compounding, quality assurance, dispensing, distribution, and development of radiopharmaceuticals. In addition, the nuclear pharmacist monitors patient outcomes and provides information and consultation regarding health and safety issues.

Nutrition Support Pharmacy addresses the care of patients who receive specialized parenteral or enteral nutrition. The nutrition support pharmacist has responsibility for promoting maintenance and/or restoration of optimal nutritional status, designing and modifying treatment according to the needs of the patient. These specialists have responsibility for direct patient care and often function as members of a multidisciplinary nutrition support team.

Oncology Pharmacy addresses the pharmaceutical care of patients with cancer. The oncology pharmacist specialist promotes optimal care of patients with various malignant diseases and their complications. These specialists are closely involved in: recognition, management, and prevention of unique morbidities associated with cancer and cancer treatment; recognition of the balance between improved survival and quality of life as primary outcome indicators; and provision of safeguards against drug misadventures in a treatment area where novel and experimental drug therapies are frequently employed.

Pharmacotherapy is that area of pharmacy responsible for ensuring the safe, appropriate and economical use of drugs in patient care. The pharmacotherapy specialist has responsibility for direct patient care, often functions as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team, may conduct clinical research, and is frequently a primary source of drug information for other health care professionals.

Psychiatric Pharmacy addresses the pharmaceutical care of patients with psychiatric disorders. As a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team, the psychiatric pharmacist specialist is often responsible for optimizing drug treatment and patient care by conducting patient assessments, recommending appropriate treatment plans, monitoring patient response, and recognizing drug-induced problems.

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I wonder when they will have PK specialist for those who are renally and hepatically impaired as well as those from extreme age groups.