Source: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Available at: http://www.ptcb.org/docs/about-ptcb/ptcb-2013-map.pdf?sfvrsn=2. Accessed October 16, 2013.
Pharmacists recognize that certification of pharmacy technicians can have benefits for patient care. A 2010 survey3 found that more than 80% of pharmacists reported that working with CPhTs was associated with reduced medication errors and increased time for pharmacists to spend on direct patient care.
To promote increased standardization of technician training and credentialing and ensure that pharmacy technicians are trained to provide needed assistance to pharmacists, the Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy4 recommended in 2009 that the pharmacy profession adopt national standards for education, training, certification, and regulation of pharmacy technicians. Also in 2009, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) Model State Pharmacy Act was revised to recommend that all state boards of pharmacy require certification of pharmacy technicians by 2015.1 However, keep in mind that this goal is a best-case scenario. NABP and others realize that state requirements for technician practice still vary widely. As of 2013, more than 80% of states register technicians and/or require certification of pharmacy technicians, and this number is growing. But it’s unlikely that we’ll see the certification requirement in all states by 2015.
To support standardization, though, PTCB is also implementing certification program changes to increase the requirements of initial certification and recertification, with changes to be phased in between 2014 and 2020. One day soon, individuals may be required to complete an accredited training program before taking the PTCB examination. This requirement is similar to what pharmacists must do; they cannot sit for “the boards” until they have graduated from an accredited school of pharmacy.
ASHP has been accrediting technician-training programs since 1982. As of 2013, about 250 technician training programs were accredited by ASHP.
Since holding a Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative in 2010, ASHP has been advocating for more technicians to complete accredited training programs before they sit for certification examinations. Pharmacy technician training is also becoming more standardized as more training programs use a standard model curriculum developed by national pharmacy organizations and seek accreditation.
In late 2013, ASHP joined with the national organization that accredits pharmacy schools, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), to create the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC). This new organization begins handling accreditation of technician programs in 2014 with oversight from both ASHP and ACPE, which could accelerate the movement toward technician training as the first step to becoming a pharmacy technician.
Specific rules and regulations governing technician recertification and proposed changes to PTCB certification requirements are discussed in Chapter 3, Pharmacy Law and Regulation.
Codes of Ethics
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