ALEXANDRIA, VA., Sept. 19, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Society for Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of its online courseware, Geriatric Pharmacy Review (GPR). Launched in 1998 as part of a grant by Astra Zeneca, GPR was created to meet the needs of pharmacists wishing to prepare for board certification in geriatrics. Today, GPR consists of over 40 disease states, or geriatric patient focused modules, and 3 advanced packages approved by the Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy (CCGP) for Certified Geriatric Pharmacist (CGP) recertification. In the past three years alone, GPR has had nearly 7,500 user interactions.

"The authors, advisory board, peer reviewers, editor, and ASCP educational affairs staff work very hard to make the content of GPR meaningful, up-to date, and practical for the users," said Joseph Gerber, RPh, CGP, PhD, ASCP Senior Director of Educational Affairs. "CCGP will be launching a revised CGP examination in January 2014, resulting from the revised content map of the 2012 geriatric pharmacy role delineation study (job analysis). Preparations are already underway to align new and existing GPR content with this revised exam."
 
GPR is part of ASCP's in-house learning site, the Professional Development CEnter, and is comprised of over 125 hours of online courses.  All courses are available online at education.ascp.com/gpr, and users can customize their use based on their individual educational gaps.  All of the learning activities on the site are cataloged, and a transcript of completed courses is available. 
 
Every year, fifteen hours of new content for recertification are added to GPR.  In July 2013, a new case-based recertification course (Package #3), offering 15 hours of continuing pharmacy education, became available for purchase. The topics covered in the newest package include: Managing Advanced Chronic Heart Failure: A Palliative Approach, Geriatric Depression and Anxiety Considerations in Pharmacotherapy, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Effective Communication and Education for an Older Adult Population, The Older Adult with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Complicated Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in the Older Adult.
 
We encourage ASCP members and non-member users who recognize ASCP as THE source for geriatric pharmacotherapy focused learning and support tools to visit the CEnter frequently to avail themselves of its many benefits, including GPR.
 
About the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists is the only international professional society devoted to optimal medication management and improved health outcomes for all older persons. ASCP's members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, sub-acute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and home and community-based care.