Evolution and Validation 0f Practice Standards, Training, and Professional Development

iii.

ACCP has expressed that postgraduate residency training is the preferred training pathway for

clinical pharmacists providing direct patient care in previous position statements and a white

paper.

Policy 2027: “Pharmacists who provide direct patient care should have completed an ASHP-

accredited residency or have attained comparable skills through practice experience.”

ASHP has no policy directly related to the provision of direct patient care in a specialty practice

area.

Hospital data

6120 hospitals in the United States – 916,752 staffed beds (2024 American Hospital

Association survey data; https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2024/01/fast-facts-on-us-

hospitals-2024-20240112.pdf)

According to 2018 AHA survey data, there were 107,276 adult, pediatric, and neonatal ICU beds in

community hospitals across the United States (www.aha.org/statistics/fast-facts-us-hospitals).

No accurate database to indicate the number of pharmacists spending 50% or more of time in

critical care

Direct patient care by pharmacist provided in 62.2% of ICUs in the United States in 2006. This

survey of 1220 institutions revealed 70.8% of ICUs had direct clinical ICU pharmacy services,

A recent survey of 185 critical care pharmacists indicated that the pharmacist/patient ratio is

variable, with 84% of respondents caring for more than 15 patients. In addition, 30% of respondents

expressed concern about safety relative to workload, and 50% indicated they felt overworked. This

survey suggests that ICUs with pharmacist coverage may be understaffed (JACCP 2020;3:68-74).

records identified 2928 individual pharmacists indicating specialization in critical care at the time

of the 2012 petition for recognition of critical care as a specialty (https://www.accp.com/docs/

positions/petitions/Final_CRITICAL_CARE_PETITION_For_BPS_Post.pdf).

A survey sent to those 2928 pharmacists yielded 504 responses (https://www.accp.com/docs/

positions/petitions/Final_CRITICAL_CARE_PETITION_For_BPS_Post.pdf).

Out of the responses, 476 reported that they practiced in critical care (94%).

ii.

Of those 476, 91% responded that their practice met the definition of critical care pharmacy as

a specialty.

iii.

Among the respondents, 74% indicated they spent at least 50% of their time practicing in the

ICU.

iv.

More than 80% of respondents completed residency or fellowship training in critical care.

A survey of employers of ICU pharmacists yielded 204 responses (https://www.accp.com/docs/

positions/petitions/Final_CRITICAL_CARE_PETITION_For_BPS_Post.pdf).

Collectively employed 1034 full-time equivalent (FTE) critical care pharmacists

ii.

Recruited 256 critical care pharmacists during the previous 3 years

iii.

Estimated a need to hire 234–243 critical care pharmacists in the next 3 years

iv.

Of the respondents, 99.5% estimated the demand for critical care pharmacists to grow or remain

stable at their site during the next 5 years.