Certified Pharmacy Informatics Analyst (CPIA)

CPIA (PIA-001) Exam Objectives

This exam certifies that the candidate possesses the knowledge and skills to effectively manage pharmacy information systems, leverage data analytics for process improvement, and ensure medication-use technology enhances patient safety and operational efficiency.

Domain 1: Pharmacy Information Systems Management (30%)

• System Implementation & Lifecycle Management: Describe the phases of a system implementation project (planning, design, build, test, go-live, optimization) and identify key tasks for a new system rollout.
• Medication Database Management: Manage the electronic formulary, ensuring accurate build of medication records, including dosage forms, charge codes (NDC/HCPCS), and clinical routing.
• CPOE & Order Set Management: Design, build, and maintain evidence-based order sets and individual orderables to guide safe prescribing.
• BCMA & Pharmacy Automation: Configure and troubleshoot Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) systems, automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs), and other robotics.
• System Maintenance and Downtime Procedures: Develop and execute protocols for system updates, maintenance, and both planned and unplanned downtimes.

Domain 2: Data Analytics and Informatics (25%)

• Data Querying and Extraction: Utilize data query tools (e.g., SQL) to extract medication-use data from pharmacy and hospital information systems for analysis.
• Reporting and Visualization: Design and generate reports on key performance indicators and create dashboards to visualize data for leadership.
• Data-Driven Quality Improvement: Analyze data to identify opportunities for improvement in medication safety, operational efficiency, and cost savings.
• Research and Clinical Trials Support: Support clinical research by creating protocols to extract specific patient and medication data sets from the EHR.

Domain 3: Clinical Decision Support & Medication Safety (25%)

• CDS Design and Implementation: Build, test, and maintain clinical decision support rules, including drug-interaction alerts, allergy checking, and dose range checking.
• Alert Management and Optimization: Analyze alert firing rates and override reasons to identify and reduce sources of alert fatigue.
• Infusion Pump and Smart Pump Library Management: Develop, manage, and deploy smart pump drug libraries, including hard/soft safety limits to prevent IV medication errors.
• Medication Event Surveillance: Use system data and rules to proactively surveil for signs of potential adverse drug events (e.g., trigger reports).

Domain 4: Governance, Risk, and Compliance (20%)

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure pharmacy information systems comply with standards from The Joint Commission, ISMP, state boards of pharmacy, and federal laws.
• HIPAA and Data Security: Implement and monitor user access controls, audit logs, and other security measures to protect patient health information.
• Interoperability and HL7: Explain the purpose of key HL7 message types (e.g., ADT, ORM, RDE) and troubleshoot basic interface errors.
• Change Control Management: Apply formal change control processes for all system modifications, including request, review, testing, approval, and communication.

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 CPIA Professionals

The CPIA certification is ideal for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians seeking to specialize in the rapidly growing field of health informatics. This credential opens doors to high-impact roles that shape how technology is used to deliver medication therapy safely and effectively across health systems.

Target Candidates

• Health-system pharmacists with an interest in technology and data.
• Pharmacists with PGY2 residency training in pharmacy informatics.
• Experienced pharmacy technicians in informatics or automation roles.
• Pharmacists working for EHR or pharmacy technology vendors.

Primary Job Roles:

• Pharmacy Informatics Specialist / Analyst
• Clinical Informatics Pharmacist
• EHR Application Analyst (Willow, Meditech, etc.)
• Medication Management Systems Coordinator
• Pharmacy Automation Specialist
• Clinical Decision Support Analyst

Career Advancement:

With experience, a CPIA professional can advance to leadership positions such as Manager or Director of Pharmacy Informatics. They are also highly sought after for strategic roles in IT departments, as consultants for healthcare technology vendors, or as leaders in medication safety and quality improvement initiatives.

Study Resources

Prepare for your CPIA exam with a range of study materials designed to help you succeed.