- What is the ASHP Health-System Pharmacy 2015 Initiative?
- What is the relationship between the 2015 Initiative and the ASHP Vision Statement for Pharmacy Practice in Hospitals and Health Systems?
- How were the 2015 Initiative's six goals selected?
- Why was the year 2015 picked as the target?
- Will there be future versions of the Initiative, such as the nation¡¦s Healthy People Project, which started as Healthy People 2000 and is now Healthy People 2010?
- How were the target percentages for the objectives chosen?
- How will ASHP tell the story of health-system pharmacy practitioners achieving the 2015 Initiative objectives?
- How will ASHP measure and report progress against the objectives?
- Will findings be published even if poor progress is made on some objectives over time?
- What has been the reaction of ASHP's members to the 2015 Initiative?
1. What is the ASHP Health-System Pharmacy 2015 Initiative?
This Initiative is a new program to help make medication use in health systems more effective, scientific, and safe. There are six key goals and 31 specific objectives to be accomplished by the year 2015.
2. What is the relationship between the 2015 Initiative and the ASHP Vision Statement for Pharmacy Practice in Hospitals and Health Systems?
The 2015 Initiative is a tool to help health-system pharmacy practitioners achieve the ideals identified in the vision statement.
3. How were the 2015 Initiative's six goals selected?
The six goals directly relate to the themes of the ASHP Vision Statement for Pharmacy Practice in Hospitals and Health Systems:
- Making medication use effective,
- Making medication use scientific,
- Making medication use safe, and
- Making meaningful contributions to public health.
4. Why was the year 2015 picked as the target?
As with the Healthy People 2010 project a span of years is most useful for assessing progress against baselines. The mid-decade target provided a full eleven years to work, as well as an easy-to-remember date.
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5. Will there be future versions of the Initiative, such as the nation's Healthy People Project, which started as Healthy People 2000 and is now Healthy People 2010?
It is too early to say. The impact of the 2015 Initiative will be evaluated over time.
6. How were the target percentages for the objectives chosen?
Target percentages were chosen on the basis of member input. In the early drafts, hypothetical percentages were listed and members offered their suggestions. There were different opinions about whether to make the percentages extremely demanding versus more easily achievable. The final chosen percentages were set at the progressive side of realistic for most work sites.
As of the launch of the 2015 Initiative in the fall of 2003, baseline numbers had not been determined for many of the objectives. It is possible that some target percentages may be modified after surveying is complete and baselines have been determined.
7. How will ASHP tell the story of health-system pharmacy practitioners achieving the 2015 Initiative objectives?
ASHP will use several methods to tell members about these accomplishments, including the ASHP Web site, AJHP, educational programming, our email news service, and Action Line. ASHP also will use the findings of ongoing surveys in our governmental advocacy and in engaging other organizations and health care professionals.
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8. How will ASHP measure and report progress against the objectives?
Periodic, scientifically-sound surveys will be used to assess progress, and the findings will be published.
9. Will findings be published even if poor progress is made on some objectives over time?
The truth will be reported. And ASHP will respond with efforts aimed to foster improvements such as guidance policies, education, and publications.
10. What has been the reaction of ASHP's members to the 2015 Initiative?
ASHP members have embraced the 2015 Initiative with enthusiasm. Individual members in a variety of practice settings whether they are in management, logistical, or clinical positions have found objectives in the 2015 Initiative that relate to their work. They tell us that the modest number of objectives and the knowledge that collective progress will be measured across health-system settings helps them to know that they are working on the most important priorities and that they are contributing to the public good.
Some of ASHP's affiliated state societies have created state-level projects and education supporting the 2015 Initiative. As this evolves, we will look for ways to spotlight their activities.