Certified Pharmacy Policy Analyst (CPPA)

CPPA (PPA-001) Exam Objectives

This exam certifies that the candidate has the skills to develop, implement, and maintain evidence-based, compliant, and effective medication-use policies.

Domain 1: Policy Development and Writing (40%)

• Policy Structure: Describe the essential components of a well-written policy and procedure, including purpose, scope, definitions, and step-by-step instructions.
• Utilization Management (UM) Criteria: Develop clear, objective, and evidence-based clinical criteria for UM tools like prior authorization, step therapy, and quantity limits.
• Medication Safety Policies: Create policies for high-alert medications, controlled substance management, and other critical safety processes.
• Policy Lifecycle Management: Manage the process of policy review, revision, approval by P&T or other governance committees, and archival.

Domain 2: Clinical Evidence and Guideline Appraisal (25%)

• Literature Evaluation: Critically appraise clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to determine the strength of evidence for a therapeutic agent.
• Guideline Interpretation: Analyze and apply recommendations from major national and international clinical practice guidelines.
• Formulary Support: Prepare evidence summaries and monographs to support formulary and P&T committee decision-making.

Domain 3: Regulatory and Accreditation Compliance (25%)

• Accreditation Standards: Interpret and apply medication management standards from accrediting bodies like The Joint Commission (TJC), URAC, and ACHC.
• Federal and State Regulations: Ensure policies comply with regulations from CMS, the DEA, and state boards of pharmacy.
• Risk Management: Develop policies that mitigate clinical, operational, and regulatory risks associated with the medication-use system.

Domain 4: Implementation and Communication (10%)

• Stakeholder Communication: Develop a communication plan to effectively disseminate new and revised policies to all affected staff.
• Education and Training: Create educational materials to support the rollout and implementation of a new clinical policy.

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 CPPA Professionals

The CPPA certification is ideal for pharmacists in health systems, managed care, PBMs, and government agencies who are involved in formulary management, medication safety, and policy development. This credential showcases a highly valued skill set in evidence-based practice and regulatory oversight.

Target Candidates

• Drug information and medication use policy pharmacists.
• Managed care pharmacists responsible for formulary criteria.
• Medication safety officers and compliance specialists.
• Pharmacists with PGY2 residency training in medication-use safety and policy.

Primary Job Roles:

• Pharmacy Policy Analyst
• Formulary Manager
• Medication Safety Pharmacist
• Drug Information Specialist
• Managed Care Clinical Pharmacist
• Medication Use Policy Coordinator

Career Advancement:

A CPPA is well-positioned for senior leadership roles in pharmacy administration and managed care. They can advance to become a Director of Formulary Management, a Director of Medication Use Policy, or a senior leader in a health plan's pharmacy department responsible for clinical and utilization strategy.

Study Resources

Prepare for your CPPA exam with resources focused on the art and science of medication policy management.