Academic Journal
Perceived Value of Board of Pharmacy Specialties Certification Among Hospital Pharmacists in Spain: A Qualitative Interview Study.
| Τίτλος: | Perceived Value of Board of Pharmacy Specialties Certification Among Hospital Pharmacists in Spain: A Qualitative Interview Study. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Viñas-Bastart M; Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain., Moreno-Martínez ME; Pharmacy Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IR Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain., Ruiz-Boy S; Pharmacy Service, Division of Medicines, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain., De Pourcq JT; Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.; Pharmacy Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IR Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain., Roca CM; Pharmacy Service, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, La Coruña, Spain., Carreras-Soler MJ; Pharmacy Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain., Amor García MÁ; Pharmacy Service, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Parla, Spain., Salazar-Laya B; Pharmacy Department, Hospital A. Marcide, Ferrol, La Coruña, Spain., Felipe VF; Costa Del Sol University Hospital, Pharmacy, Marbella, Spain., Rojo García A; Pharmacy Service, Centro Hospitalario Benito Menni, Elizondo, Spain., Letellez Fernández J; Pharmacy Service, Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain., Modamio P; Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain., Guiu-Segura JM; Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.; Pharmacy Service, Xarxa Tecla Sanitaria, Social i docent, Tarragona, Spain. |
| Πηγή: | Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy : JACCP [J Am Coll Clin Pharm] 2026 Oct; Vol. 9 (10), pp. e70286. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Wiley Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101723133 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2574-9870 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 25749870 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Am Coll Clin Pharm Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: [Hoboken, NJ] : Wiley, [2018]- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Pharmacists*/standards , Pharmacists*/psychology , Certification*/standards , Pharmacy Service, Hospital*/standards , Pharmacy Service, Hospital*/organization & administration, Spain ; Humans ; Qualitative Research ; Male ; Female ; Clinical Competence ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Interviews as Topic ; Professional Role ; Adult |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Board of Pharmacy Specialties certification has emerged internationally as a mechanism to support advanced pharmacy practice and professional differentiation. However, little is known about how BPS-certified pharmacists perceive its value within health care systems with specialist training pathways, such as in Spain. This study aimed to explore the perceived value, professional impact, and implementation barriers of BPS certification among hospital pharmacists in Spain. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study used semi-structured interviews with BPS-certified hospital pharmacists practicing in Spain. Participants were purposively recruited to ensure diversity in certification specialty, geographical region, and profile. Interviews were conducted between April and June 2026, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Reporting followed Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research. Results: Eleven hospital pharmacists representing multiple BPS specialties participated. Participants perceived BPS certification as strengthening clinical competence, improving confidence in pharmacotherapeutic decision-making, and supporting advanced clinical practice. Certification was perceived to enhance professional credibility within interprofessional clinical teams and among pharmacist colleagues. However, participants described limited institutional recognition, with little impact on salary, career progression, employment systems, or protected professional development time. Major barriers included time investment, economic costs, recertification requirements, and partial mismatch between the United States-oriented examination framework and the Spanish health care context. Participants viewed BPS certification as a complementary credential to the national hospital pharmacy residency system rather than a substitute for specialist training. Most anticipated demand for credentialing would continue to increase as hospital pharmacy practice becomes specialized and clinically complex. Conclusions: BPS certification is perceived as a valuable mechanism supporting advanced clinical competence, professional differentiation, and integration into interprofessional practice. Nevertheless, broader implementation remains limited by insufficient institutional recognition and structural support. Greater alignment between international credentialing systems and national professional development frameworks may facilitate integration of pharmacy practice credentials within the Spanish health care system. (© 2026 The Author(s). JACCP: Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of ACCP Foundation, Ltd.) |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: clinical competence; credentialing; hospital; pharmacy; qualitative research |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260910 Date Completed: 20260910 Latest Revision: 20260918 |
| Update Code: | 20260918 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/jac5.70286 |
| PMID: | 42717741 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
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