title: Emerging Developments in Pharmacists' Scope of Practice to Address Unmet Health Care Needs.
abstract: Pharmacists' comprehensive training is being leveraged in emerging patient care service opportunities that include prescriptive authority under collaborative practice agreements (CPAs) with prescribers or through state-based protocols. CPAs and state-based protocols expand pharmacists' scope of practice to allow the pharmacist to perform designated functions under the terms of the agreement or protocol. For patient-specific CPAs, this often includes initiating, modifying, or discontinuing therapy and ordering laboratory tests. For population-based CPAs and state-based protocols, pharmacists are often authorized to initiate medications to address a public health need. CPAs and state-based protocols are mechanisms to optimally use pharmacists' education and training.
authors.forename: Anne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Burns
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007885:Legislation, Pharmacy / Q000639:trends*; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D024382:Professional Role; D014481:United States
keywords: clinical decision making; clinical practice; health care policy; legal/regulatory issues; outcomes