Evaluating the clarity, applicability, and evaluability of an ASHP standard for international pharmaceutical practice in a Quebec healthcare institution

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Purpose: The primary objective was to assess the clarity, applicability, and evaluability of the criteria included in the ASHP accreditation standard for international hospital and health-system pharmacy services. The secondary objective was to determine the proportion of the ASHP criteria that could be matched with those of Accreditation Canada's medication management standards.

Methods: For this cross-sectional descriptive study, a panel of 5 experts was recruited. Each panelist was invited, by electronic means, to consult the ASHP standard and rate its criteria in terms of clarity, applicability, and evaluability. After a 21-day consultation period, a summary grid was produced for a meeting, during which individual results were presented and, after discussion and by consensus, a rating for each criterion was determined.

Results: Regarding the primary objective, the panel of experts considered the criteria of the ASHP standard to be clear (98.8%, 82/83), applicable to pharmaceutical practice in Quebec healthcare institutions (96.4%, 80/83), and evaluable (95.2%, 79/83). Regarding the secondary objective, almost one-third (28.9%, 24/83) of the criteria within the ASHP standard could be matched completely to criteria within the Accreditation Canada medication management standards; a smaller proportion (26.5%, 22/83) could be partially matched to the Canadian standards, and the remainder (44.6%, 37/83) could not be matched.

Conclusion: This descriptive, cross-sectional study showed that the ASHP criteria for international facilities are clear, applicable to hospital pharmacy practice in Quebec, and can be evaluated. However, only a limited proportion of the ASHP criteria could be matched with the Accreditation Canada medication management standards. The applicability to a larger cross section of hospital sites in Quebec or Canada (general hospitals as well as pediatric and specialty hospitals) could also be undertaken.