CPIA Module 1: Introduction & Foundations of Pharmacy Informatics
CPIA Certification Program

Module 1: Introduction & Foundations of Pharmacy Informatics

Your Journey from Clinical Practitioner to Systems Architect Begins Here.

Welcome to the Blueprint: Laying the Groundwork for Your Informatics Career

Welcome to the start of your transformation. As an experienced pharmacist, you are an undisputed expert in the medication—its properties, its effects, its place in therapy. You operate daily at the complex intersection of patient care and clinical science. What you may not have formally recognized is that every single day, you are also an operator within a vast, intricate information system.

This inaugural module is your official orientation to this new perspective. We will pull back the curtain on the technology you use every day to reveal the principles, theories, and regulations that govern it. Our goal is to formalize the knowledge you have gained through experience and provide you with a solid, structured foundation. We will give you the vocabulary, the core concepts, and the mental models that will serve as the blueprint for the rest of this certification program and for your future career in informatics.

Forget any notion that you are starting from scratch. Your clinical expertise is the most valuable asset you bring to this field. Here, you will learn how to leverage that expertise and apply it on a systemic scale, moving from ensuring the safety of a single patient to architecting the safety of an entire patient population.

Your Itinerary for Module 1

This module establishes the fundamental pillars of pharmacy informatics, providing the essential context you will build upon in all subsequent sections.

1.1 Definition and Evolution of Pharmacy Informatics

We establish a robust definition of the field, tracing its evolution from early automation to today’s complex, data-driven discipline, and solidifying its purpose within the healthcare ecosystem.

1.2 The DIKW Framework and Decision Support Hierarchy

Learn the foundational mental model for informatics, the DIKW Framework, which shows how raw Data is turned into useful Information, then into actionable Knowledge, and finally applied with clinical Wisdom.

1.3 Core Roles and Competencies of the Informatics Pharmacist

An exploration of the diverse career paths and the essential skill sets required to excel, from technical proficiency and project management to communication and leadership.

1.4 Regulatory Drivers and Accreditation Influences (HITECH, HIPAA, ONC)

Understand the “rules of the road.” We dissect the key legislation and regulatory bodies that mandate how health data is managed, protected, and shared, and how they shape health IT systems.

1.5 Overview of the Medication-Use Process and Technology Touchpoints

We diagram the entire medication journey—from prescribing to monitoring—and identify the critical points where technology is leveraged to enhance safety and efficiency.