Qualifications for Delivering Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) According to ACCP Standards
According to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) standards, the pharmacist who became board certified last year and has been practicing in an internal medicine clinic for the past 12 years is most qualified to deliver comprehensive medication management (CMM).
Understanding Comprehensive Medication Management
Comprehensive medication management is defined as the standard of care that ensures each patient's medications (prescription, nonprescription, alternative, traditional, vitamins, or supplements) are individually assessed to determine that each medication is:
- Appropriate for the patient
- Effective for the medical condition
- Safe given comorbidities and concurrent medications
- Able to be taken by the patient as intended 1
Qualifications Required for CMM Providers
The ACCP has established specific qualifications for clinical pharmacists who provide direct patient care services such as CMM:
Board Certification: Clinical pharmacists engaged in direct patient care should be board certified 2
Practice Experience: Extensive clinical experience in a patient care setting is essential for developing the expertise needed to provide comprehensive medication management 1
Clinical Setting: The pharmacist should work in a setting that allows for direct patient care and collaboration with other healthcare providers 3
Core Competencies: The pharmacist must demonstrate competency in six essential domains:
- Direct patient care
- Pharmacotherapy knowledge
- Systems-based care and population health
- Communication
- Professionalism
- Continuing professional development 1
Analysis of Each Pharmacist's Qualifications
PGY2 residency graduate working in poison control center:
- Completed advanced training (PGY2) but only 2 years ago
- Current practice in poison control center does not involve regular direct patient care or medication management
- Limited experience in comprehensive medication management
Board-certified pharmacist with 12 years in internal medicine clinic:
- Board certified (meets ACCP recommendation for clinical pharmacists)
- Extensive experience (12 years) in a direct patient care setting
- Internal medicine clinic setting allows for ongoing patient relationships and interprofessional collaboration
- Practice setting aligns with CMM delivery model
Community pharmacy manager with 6 years experience:
- No board certification
- Limited opportunity for comprehensive medication management in traditional community pharmacy setting
- Management focus may limit direct patient care activities
PGY1 residency graduate with board certification in drug information center:
- Has board certification and completed PGY1 residency
- Current practice in drug information center limits direct patient interaction
- Setting is not optimal for comprehensive medication management
Why Board Certification and Clinical Experience Matter
The KDOQI Work Group (2025) specifically notes that "pharmacists focused on chronic condition management (including diabetes and hypertension) have demonstrated improvement in medication adherence, diabetes parameters, BP, and patient and provider satisfaction, and have reduced hospitalization and contributed to health-related cost savings" 4.
Board certification serves as validation of a pharmacist's specialized knowledge and skills. As of January 1997, there were only 2,075 board-certified pharmacists in the United States across all specialty areas 5, highlighting the significance of this credential.
Importance of Practice Setting
The practice setting is crucial for delivering CMM effectively. The internal medicine clinic provides:
- Regular access to patients
- Collaboration with physicians and other healthcare providers
- Ability to monitor patient outcomes over time
- Access to medical records and laboratory data
- Opportunity to establish collaborative practice agreements 6
Conclusion
While all four pharmacists have valuable qualifications, the board-certified pharmacist with 12 years of experience in an internal medicine clinic best meets the ACCP criteria for providing comprehensive medication management. This pharmacist combines board certification (specialized knowledge) with extensive clinical experience in a setting conducive to providing comprehensive medication management services.