State of Privileging in Pharmacy: A Survey of Vizient-Affiliated Institutions

Purpose: The process of privileging pharmacists is an important step in developing optimal pharmacy practice models. Currently, little published literature exists detailing the status of pharmacist privileging efforts. The objective of this study is to assess and characterize a snapshot of the current and future state of privileging practices in pharmacy at Vizient academic medical centers (AMCs) and their affiliate institutions. Methods: An electronic survey questionnaire was sent to Vizient pharmacy directors and their affiliates to assess institutional privileging practices and identify perceived or actual barriers. The survey was divided into 2 pathways based on the current status of privileging at the institution. Results: In total, 46 directors of pharmacy completed the survey. Only 33% (15/46) of pharmacy directors indicated they had a current privileging process in place. About 70% (21/30) of institutions without an established privileging process indicated they were considering establishing a process. For institutions without an established privileging process, most pharmacy directors identified a lack of organizational support and resources as barriers to implementation. Conclusion: Although credentialing and privileging is considered a national priority to aid in expanding and enhancing pharmacists' scope of practice, our survey demonstrated that few respondents currently have a privileging process in place. The results from this study may highlight important barriers and keys to success to be considered when implementing a privileging process.