A Brief List of Commonly Used Pharmacy Terms.
Updated: Jun 17, 2020
Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)–You will be considered a CPhT once you have successfully passed the ExCPT or PTCE.
Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT)-This exam is a nationally accredited certification exam for pharmacy technicians that is offered by the National Healthcare Association (NHA).
Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)–This is a nationally accredited certification exam for pharmacy technicians that is offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)–The nation’s first and most trusted pharmacy technician credentialing organization.
State Board of Pharmacy (SBOP)–This is where a technician can register and renew their state licensure.
Managed Care Pharmacy – A pharmacy that will focus on managing prescription drug benefits to help improve patient care and pharmacy costs. Examples Include: Express Scripts, Humana Pharmacy Solutions, Optum Rx (United Health), Caremark (CVS Health)
Retail Pharmacy–This is most likely a chain pharmacy that sells prescriptions to patients. Examples Include: CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens Pharmacy, Walmart Pharmacy
Independent Pharmacy–This is normally pharmacist-owned, and not directly associated with a pharmacy chain.
Mail-Order Pharmacy– A pharmacy that will deliver medications to your home.
Health System Pharmacy: Inpatient Pharmacy – This is a pharmacy that will treat patients who have more complicated conditions than those in an outpatient setting. This pharmacy is normally a 24-hour a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year operation.
Satellite Pharmacy- A mini pharmacy that is located in the hospital near a main patient care unit.
Specialty Pharmacy –This type of pharmacy will handle medications that are usually not stocked in your typical retail pharmacy. These medications are called “specialty medications”. Examples include: Accredo Pharmacy, Briova Rx, Avella Pharmacy
United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 795/797/800 –These are considered compounding standards. 795 - Nonsterile Preparation 797- Sterile Preparation 800 - Handling of Hazard Drugs
IV Room–This is often used in a hospital or in a pharmacy setting where sterile medications are prepared.
Sterile Compounding–Creating a medication in an environment that is free from all microorganisms.
Non-Sterile Compounding–Creating a medication in a clean environment but does not require the environment to be free from all microorganisms.