I AM HONORED to have the privilege of writing this message to you in celebration of ASHP’s 75th anniversary. On this day in 1942, ASHP was founded by an exceptional group of leaders who envisioned a future where pharmacists would be the medication therapy experts on what we now refer to as the interprofessional patient care team. In reflecting on the past 75 years, it is clear that ASHP and its exceptional members created a future that far exceeded the expectations of our visionary founders.
Over the course of 75 years, ASHP has been a leader in:
- Conceptualizing and advancing pharmacy as a clinical profession.
- Establishing standards of practice.
- Creating accredited residency training.
- Supporting pharmacist specialization.
- Advancing the roles of pharmacists in ambulatory clinic settings.
- Advocating for the effective utilization of pharmacy technicians.
- Creating the modern drug formulary system.
- Developing evidence-based drug information.
- Advocating for the entry-level doctor of pharmacy degree.
- Being the first organization to hold a national conference dedicated to high-level clinical education — the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting.
These are just a few of the many areas where ASHP has been the leader in helping to move pharmacists closer to the patient in the interest of improving patient care and medication safety.
ASHP is proud of these accomplishments; however, we are now focused on creating a future where all patients have access to and receive the appropriate level of comprehensive medication therapy management in all care settings. ASHP’s vision is that medication use will be optimal, safe, and effective for all people all of the time, and we are steadfast in our resolve to achieving this bold vision.
Being a member of ASHP has always been about being part of something much bigger. It’s been about working collectively to help pharmacists achieve their full potential and, in doing so, improving the lives of the patients we serve.
I hope you will join me in December at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in Orlando for the grand finale of our 75th anniversary year celebration. We’ve planned a great event that includes the best educational program, opportunities to network with over 25,000 colleagues, an anniversary celebration space called 75th Street, and the chance to hear a very special guest at our opening session. And, we’ve reserved the entire Universal Studios Florida Theme Park for our closing party. We can’t wait to see you there!
We want to thank each and every one of our nearly 45,000 members for making ASHP the best organization in pharmacy, and for the contributions you have made to our collective efforts to advance pharmacy practice and improve patient care. You are all a very special part of something wonderful that our founders would be truly amazed by and proud of. Thank you so much for being a member of ASHP and for everything you do for your patients.
Sincerely,
Paul