In June of 1957 a group of pharmacists interested in forming a hospital pharmacist association in Arkansas met for lunch in Little Rock at the Sam Peck Hotel. This group of people founded the Arkansas Association of Hospital Pharmacists, a chapter of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP). Following this meeting the constitution and by-laws were adopted and officers elected in September 1957.

Original officers:  William D Hagans, President; George P Provost, Vice-President; Louise Pope, Secretary-Treasurer

Charter Members:  Lattye M Goodrum, Dayton Brewer, Carl L Brooks, Jr, William M Heller, Jack Leonard, James H Ackerman, Harold J Hamilton, Flint Ward, Hulen Smith, Louis D Hauser.

In the early years of AAHP, four meetings were held each annually devoted to topics that would assist each participant in upgrading the practice of hospital pharmacy.  James Henderson chaired the first fall seminar in 1967, which was expanded to two days in 1982. In 1982 the group began bringing in national and regional speakers.

Past President Louis D. Hauser spearheaded the Hospital Pharmacy Act in 1975. The purpose of this legislation was to enhance the practice of institutional pharmacy and to stimulate interest in unit-dose distribution and IV additive programs.  Since that time, AAHP has conducted surveys and produced data to support regulation changes within the profession, including regulations governing the use of technicians in hospitals.

Discussion regarding the association becoming an academy of the Arkansas Pharmacist Association began in 1970 and a basic agreement was reached in 1981 while William S. Freeman was serving as President.  Today, AAHP functions as an academy of the APA, but operates with a high degree of autonomy to take advantage of the resources of our parent organization and to allow for specific focus on health-system issues.