The Center for Pharmacy Practice Accreditation (CPPA), a partnership between APhA and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), has been established to develop and implement comprehensive programs of pharmacy practice site accreditation.

CPPA is responsible for developing, maintaining, and ensuring proper implementation of consensus-based accreditation standards for pharmacy practice sites. Its goal is to assist the public and profession by recognizing pharmacy practices that are committed to enhancing patient safety, quality of care, and access to pharmacists’ services.

Community pharmacy practice site accreditation provides an opportunity for pharmacies to distinguish themselves for the types and quality of patient care services they provide to the health care system. APhA has published answers to frequently asked questions.

APhA and NABP are equal representatives and share responsibility in the partnership. CPPA will contract with APhA to build on prior work by NABP and to continue development of consensus-based standards for community pharmacy practice accreditation. CPPA will contract with NABP to administer the accreditation process.

APhA will take public comment on aspects of standards during the Community Pharmacy Accreditation Open Forum at the 2012 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in New Orleans on March 9–12.