[en] Hospital radiopharmacies have progressed from the chemistry laboratory in the basement where radioactive solutions were mixed to state of the art pharmaceutical facilities adjacent to nuclear medicine imaging suites. This progress can be attributed to new types of radiopharmaceuticals, advancements in nuclear instrumentation and equipment and competencies of individuals trained in Radiopharmacy practices. We are now entering another phase in the development of radiopharmacies which emphasizes both health care delivery and patient outcomes. Using a pharmaceutical care approach combined with expert pharmaceuticals services, the direct and responsible provision of medication-related care for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes that improve a patient's quality of life can be accomplished in radiopharmacies. At a time when the health care system is undergoing momentous change, hospital radiopharmacies are challenged to aggressively pursue a clinically oriented role and to look at how the continued development of radiopharmacies can and should evolve beyond their operational characteristics. (author)