The PSW Story – One Voice, One Vision
A pharmacist that graduated in 1990 worked with a limited scope of practice; counseling on medications had just become required, but laws prohibited this pharmacist from providing immunizations, comprehensive medication reviews, and management of chronic conditions. Hospitals had begun to decentralize pharmacists, but many hospitals’ policies kept pharmacists focused on medication preparation and administration. By the mid-90s, pharmacy practice was facing unprecedented challenges in healthcare policy and the growing complexity of patient needs.
The boards of directors of the Wisconsin Pharmacists Association (WPhA) and Wisconsin Society of Hospital Pharmacists (WSHP) initiated an exploration of the desirability and feasibility of creating a single, new organization to represent, with a unified voice, all of Wisconsin pharmacy professionals. This two-year effort resulted in the creation of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) on January 1, 1998.
Since then, PSW has catalyzed connection between pharmacy professionals in all settings. At PSW conferences and virtual member meet-ups, and through engagement, members form friendships and share ideas. PSW is the venue to support advocacy efforts for changes in policy. These policy changes, and PSW education and coaching resources, support the implementation of practice transformation. The information and connection that PSW members get supports their ability to make a difference, makes them more efficient, provides professional reward, and results in better patient care.