Prior to the 1920s, hospital pharmacy was not a strong, well-organized component of the profession. By 1936, a subsection of hospital pharmacists was formed in the American Pharmaceutical Association (APHA), 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.
This document highlights a few of the milestones in ASHP's development, concentrating on the Society's early years, with emphasis on educational programs (institutes) for hospital pharmacists, minimum standards for hospital pharmacy practice, and comprehensive surveys of practice and publications. The history recited here conveys a sense of how the organization has progressed from 154 charter members to 31,000 today.