GOALS | MISSION | VISION |Policies and Procedures

Goals of the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists

In pursuing the mission of VSHP, the Board of Directors has established the broad goals expressed here. Each year a strategic plan is adopted with specific objectives that VSHP is pursuing in order to meet these goals.

1. Promote the development of a pharmacy workforce that is highly qualified to provide pharmaceutical care-to individual patients and to populations of patients-in hospitals and health systems. This goal includes promoting pharmacy as a career. It also includes the assistance to pharmacy practitioners to improve knowledge, skills, and abilities and to inform them of advances in drug therapy through quality continuing education programs.
   
2. Advocate high standards in the practice of health-system pharmacy. To this end, VSHP endeavors to be recognized as a voice in influencing public policies on medication-use issues within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
   
3. Foster recognition of the health-system pharmacist as a patient-care professional who is uniquely qualified to help people make the best use of medicines.
   
4. Support research that will improve pharmaceutical care and pharmaceutical services.
   
5. Maintain an organizational structure, governance process, and policy-development process that meet the needs of health-system pharmacy. VSHP will seek to continually improve the value of membership.
   
6. Manage VSHP's human, financial, technological, and other resources in a manner that will best meet current and future member needs. To meet this goal, VSHP has established a contingency reserve fund and investment income.
   
7. Identify, encourage, and develop pharmacy practitioner leaders in Virginia.
   
8. Provide networking opportunities to members for ideas related to pharmacy practice issues.

Approved by the VSHP Board of Directors February 1, 2001

back to top

Mission of the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists

The mission of VSHP is to represent its members and to provide leadership that will enable pharmacists in organized health care settings to:

1. Extend pharmaceutical care focused on achieving positive patient outcomes through drug therapy;
   
2. Provide services that foster the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of drug use;
   
3. Contribute to programs and services that emphasize the health needs of the public and the prevention of disease; and
   
4. Promote pharmacy as an essential component of the health care team.

Approved by the VSHP Board of Directors, February 1, 2001

back to top

Vision of the Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists

VSHP is the professional society that represents pharmacists who serve patients in Virginia across the continuum of care in integrated health care systems. Components of such systems include acute care, ambulatory care, home care, intermediate care, long-term care, and other components of health-systems.

VSHP believes that the mission of pharmacists is to help people make the best use of medications. Assisting pharmacists in fulfilling this mission is VSHP's primary objective.

In pursuing its goals, VSHP will be

• The leading advocate within health systems for achieving optimum outcomes from medication use through the services of pharmacists.
  
• An astute and timely analyst of issues of importance to health-system pharmacists.
  
• An effective facilitator of consensus among health-system pharmacists on important professional issues.
  
• A persuasive advocate throughout society for recognition of pharmacists as patient-oriented health professionals.
  
• An authoritative voice on public policy related to the use of medications and the promotion of health.

In its efforts to foster pharmaceutical care, VSHP will create

• Progressive practice standards that stimulate improvements in the quality of medication-use systems.
  
• Timely services and products targeted to high-priority needs of health-system pharmacists.
  
• Innovative educational programs that enhance practitioner knowledge and skills.
  
• Outstanding information services related to pharmacy practice, medication use, and disease management.
  

In conducting its affairs, VSHP will

• Continuously seek opportunities for improvement.
  
• Provide exceptional value in all services to members and others.
  
• Foster teamwork among its members, volunteer leaders, affiliated regions, and staff.
  
• Encourage cooperative efforts with organizations that share mutual interests.
  
• Develop and maintain a staff that excels in its commitment to the Society's vision and in its stewardship of the Society's resources.

Approved by the VSHP Board of Directors, February 1, 2001

back to top