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Official Newsjournal of the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists

Professional Affairs
What are Position Statements and why does ICHP have them?

by Mary Lee, Director of Division of Organizational Affairs; Karin Terry, Director of Division of Professional Affairs

Hopefully you have seen the ICHP position statements that are under the Professional Practice Section of ICHPnet. If you have not, let us introduce them to you!

Why does ICHP have position statements?

The Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists (ICHP) develops position statements on pharmacy practice and health care policy. These position statements are intended to guide the practice of pharmacy by its members and clearly express to patients and decision makers the viewpoint of ICHP on important issues affecting the health of patients and their families in Illinois.

How does ICHP decide on topics for position statements?

Topics for position statements are identified and approved by the ICHP Executive Committee and then assigned to, drafted by, and approved by the appropriate ICHP division. The final approval of ICHP’s position statements is made by the ICHP Board of Directors before being posted on the ICHP website.

ICHP members may recommend the development of new position statements by submitting their suggestions to the ICHP office or any ICHP officer. That recommendation will be processed as described above.

What are examples of when I might consult the position statements?

When a new patient-specific challenge arises for which your facility does not have a policy or position.
When updating your facility-specific policies.
As a reference when preparing a presentation, in-service, etc.
As a reference when evaluating a specific service or practice at your facility.

How often are position statements updated?

The Division of Professional Affairs is responsible for regular periodic review and update of all position statements. With the current number of position statements and the usual review cycle, all position statements are reviewed at least once every 3 years. In the event of a significant change in pharmacy practice or regulations, a position statement will have an off-cycle review to allow for quicker updates.

Are ICHP position statements the same as the ASHP policy positions?

ICHP is the Illinois Affiliate of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP). ASHP has also developed a variety of policy positions that may be useful to ICHP members. ICHP does not endorse every policy position of ASHP. For example, state and federal regulations may differ and this may require ICHP to have a different position than ASHP.

For questions or clarification regarding an ICHP position statement, please contact the ICHP office. ■