Certified Hospital Pharmacy Operations Pharmacist (CHPOP)

CHPOP (HPO-001) Exam Objectives

This exam certifies that the candidate is proficient in hospital pharmacy operations and can ensure accuracy, safety, compliance, and efficiency in medication distribution systems.

Domain 1: Medication Order Processing and Verification (30%)

• Order Verification: Apply a systematic process to clinically screen and verify medication orders in a CPOE system, ensuring appropriateness of drug, dose, route, and frequency.
• Safety Screening: Identify and resolve potential safety issues during verification, including allergies, drug interactions, and duplicate therapies.
• Protocol Adherence: Apply institutional protocols and policies, such as IV-to-PO interchange, therapeutic interchange, and restricted medication policies.
• Workflow Prioritization: Manage order queues and prioritize STAT, ASAP, and routine medication orders effectively.

Domain 2: Medication Preparation and Dispensing (35%)

• Sterile Compounding (USP <797>): Apply the core principles of aseptic technique, cleanroom conduct, and basic sterile compounding calculations.
• Non-Sterile Compounding (USP <795>): Apply standards for the safe preparation of basic non-sterile formulations and assignment of beyond-use dates.
• Dispensing Systems: Manage the operational use of automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs), centralized carousels, and unit-dose packagers.
• Medication Delivery: Understand the logistics of various medication delivery models, including cart fill, ADC replenishment, and STAT delivery systems.

Domain 3: Pharmacy Operations and Inventory Control (20%)

• Inventory Management: Apply principles of medication purchasing, receiving, returns, and management of par levels to ensure medication availability.
• Drug Shortage Management: Execute established protocols for identifying, communicating, and managing the operational impact of drug shortages.
• Controlled Substance Handling: Apply DEA and institutional requirements for the recordkeeping, security, dispensing, and wasting of controlled substances.

Domain 4: Regulatory Compliance and Safety Systems (15%)

• Accreditation Standards: Understand the pharmacist's role in complying with key Medication Management (MM) standards from The Joint Commission (TJC).
• Medication Safety Technology: Describe the role of barcode medication administration (BCMA), smart pumps, and CPOE in preventing errors.
• Event Reporting: Understand the process for reporting medication events and near misses through an organization's safety reporting system.
• Downtime Procedures: Execute established downtime procedures to ensure patient safety during planned or unplanned system outages.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to sit for a CPS certification exam, candidates must meet the criteria outlined in one of the two pathways below.

Pathway 1: For U.S. Licensed Pharmacists

This pathway is for pharmacists licensed to practice within the United States, regardless of country of graduation.

• Hold an active and unrestricted pharmacist license in any state or territory of the United States.
• Meet educational requirements by being a graduate of an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy or holding a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee® (FPGEC) Certificate.
• Fulfill the specialty experience requirement as outlined below.

Pathway 2: For International Pharmacists (Non-U.S. Licensed)

This pathway is for pharmacists who practice outside of the United States.

• Hold an active and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in their country of practice. A certified English translation of the license must be provided if the original is not in English.
• Hold a professional degree in pharmacy equivalent to a U.S. pharmacy degree, such as a Bachelor’s degree (BPharm), Master’s degree in Pharmacy Practice (MPharm), or Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD).
• Fulfill the specialty experience requirement as outlined below.

Specialty Experience Requirement (for all pathways)

To ensure candidates have foundational knowledge in the specialty, one of the following criteria must be met:

• Standard Pathway:
  Completion of at least one year of professional experience in a practice setting directly related to the certification area.
• Certificate Pathway:
  The one-year specialty experience requirement is waived for candidates who hold an active certificate of completion from a nationally recognized provider in a related subject matter. This includes, but is not limited to, the completion of a relevant PGY residency, fellowship, certificate/training program, or a relevant graduate degree (e.g., a Master's degree in the specialty field). Recognized providers of certificate programs include, but are not limited to:
  • American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
  • American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
  • American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
  • American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

Career Path for CHPOP Professionals

The CHPOP certification is ideal for pharmacists seeking to begin or advance their careers in a hospital or health-system setting. It provides a strong foundation for operational excellence and is a stepping stone to further specialization or leadership.

Target Candidates

• Newly graduated pharmacists aiming to work in hospital settings.
• Community pharmacists transitioning into hospital roles.
• Internationally trained pharmacists seeking U.S. hospital placement.
• Hospital pharmacists seeking formal proof of operational competency.

Primary Job Roles:

• Hospital Staff Pharmacist (Central / Operations)
• IV Room / Cleanroom Pharmacist
• Evening or Night Shift Hospital Pharmacist
• Pharmacy Operations Coordinator

Career Advancement:

A CHPOP provides the foundational expertise needed to advance into roles such as a Pharmacy Operations Supervisor, Medication Safety Specialist, or Pharmacy Informatics Analyst. It is also a solid foundation for those who later wish to pursue clinical residency training and move into patient-facing specialty roles.

Study Resources

Prepare for your CHPOP exam with resources focused on the core operational demands of an inpatient pharmacy.