Module 1: Foundations of Specialty Pharmacy Practice

Welcome to the Certified Advanced Specialty Pharmacist (CASP) program. You are embarking on a journey to elevate your practice, leveraging your extensive experience as a pharmacist into the dynamic and rapidly evolving field of specialty pharmacy. Your existing skills in clinical assessment, patient counseling, medication safety, and operational management are the bedrock upon which this advanced practice is built.

This introductory module serves as the cornerstone for the entire program. We will transition your perspective from primarily focusing on the medication product itself to understanding the comprehensive, high-touch system of care that defines specialty practice. You’ve encountered the challenges of specialty—high costs, complex therapies, access barriers—often from the outside looking in. Now, we will take you inside, deconstructing the fundamental principles, key players, and operational models that make specialty pharmacy distinct and essential.

Throughout Module 1, we will define the scope of specialty practice, explore its history and growth, differentiate it clearly from traditional settings, identify the crucial stakeholders involved, and outline the core competencies you will master to excel as an advanced practitioner. This foundational knowledge is critical for navigating the complexities you will encounter and for providing the exceptional, patient-centered care that is the hallmark of this field. Prepare to translate your expertise into a new framework for managing the most complex patients and therapies in healthcare.