NHA News Center

October is an important month as we celebrate frontline healthcare workers in two of NHA’s key professions – medical assistants during MA Week (October 16-20) and pharmacy techs for National Pharmacy Technician Day (October 17).

September was a month focused on higher education and the shift in for-profit to non-profit realignment, the need for flexibility and to be directly aligned with employer-defined skills.

Academic institutions must recognize a gap in the development of students’ critical thinking. To combat this, educators can take on the role of coach or mentor who can assist students in understanding how to successfully evaluate and process information.

There are also critical shifts happening within the healthcare sector. Teleheath and the use of technology is finding its way in as a valuable tool in many areas. Read more below on September’s most relevant healthcare news impacting our partners as well as the professions we serve.  

For NHA, August was all about advocating for better futures. NHA had the opportunity to take part in some major industry conferences and panels, each centering around creating advocacy for allied health certification. Read on and discover what we heard at these summer meetings, plus more updates on what’s happening within the healthcare industry.

NHA was honored to not only attend, but to participate in multiple industry panel discussions at this summer’s Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) sesssion and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Total Store Expo. Both conferences focused on current pharmacy technician workforce topics and the role they play in optimizing care within the pharmacy profession. 

It is well understood within the industry that pharmacy technicians have long been critical members of the pharmacy team. Technician education, certification, and registration have been a key point in pharmacy policy for the last decade or longer. Additionally, as pharmacists’ roles have evolved to include more clinical activities, there has been an increasing emphasis on utilizing pharmacy technicians to ease workflow challenges.

July’s industry trends are all about collaboration - whether it be industry stakeholders promoting workforce development initiatives or educators and employers working together toward a common goal. These July updates illustrate numerous examples of valuable allied health partnerships.

Whether you want to enhance current relationships or secure new partnerships, being in-the-know about the industry’s most relevant news provides you (and others) with access to the relevant information that is shaping the future of healthcare.

Today National Healthcareer Association (NHA) has released the new ExCPT Pharmacy Technician Certification test plan. View the updated summary and detailed test plan here, or visit the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) page.

Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs) now have the opportunity to be recognized for their professional role and as a valued member of the pharmacy team. Prior to 2016, pharmacy technician’s duties and responsibilities were lumped into one category, which stated that an individual performing those duties did not have to document formal education, training or
certification.

Texas professionals will have another certification option in growing field

LEAWOOD, Kan. (February 13, 2017) – The state of Texas has approved the National Healthcareer Association’s (NHA) Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT®) as a certification meeting the professional requirements of this growing field. Prior to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (the Board) approving the ExCPT on February 7, the state recognized only one certification program.

Since the inception of the ExCPT exam in 2009, NHA has consistently advocated for well-trained, certified pharmacy technicians. We remain steadfast in our belief that certification candidates should meet certain training requirements, which can be achieved through multiple reputable educational pathways.

Arizona professionals now have another certification option in growing field

LEAWOOD, Kan. (December 6, 2016) – The state of Arizona now recognizes National Healthcareer Association’s (NHA) Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT®) as an approved certification, meeting the licensure requirements of this growing field. Prior to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy (the Board) approving the ExCPT on November 17, the state recognized only one certification program.