HCS/HBs 545 & 590 - This act allows the State Board of Pharmacy to grant a certificate of medication therapeutic plan authority to pharmacists. This authority will allow pharmacists to accept a prescription order for a medication therapeutic plan and administer the plan if the prescription order is specific to each patient for care by a specific pharmacist. Written protocol from the physician who refers the patient for medication therapy services is required and must only come from a physician and not under any person under a collaborative practice arrangement or supervision agreement. To earn a certificate the applicant must complete a board approved course of academic clinical study beyond a bachelors of science in pharmacy including clinical assessment skills.
The State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts and the State Board of Pharmacy shall promulgate rules regulating prescription orders for medication therapy services.
The act amends the definition of "practice of pharmacy" to include the administration of viral influenza vaccines by written protocol authorized by a physician for those 12 and older and medication therapeutic plans.
This act authorizes the Board of Pharmacy to create a "Well-being Committee" to promote early identification, intervention, treatment and rehabilitation of licensed pharmacists who are impaired by illness, substance abuse, or any physical or mental condition. The board may enter into a contractual agreement with a nonprofit corporation or an association for the purposes of administering the committee. Information produced by or furnished to the committee shall be confidential unless subject to discovery or introduced as evidence in civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings; it is essential to disclose the information to further treatment; the licensee authorizes the release of the information; the committee is required to report to the board; or the information is subject to a court order.
The board may require a pharmacist to submit himself or herself for identification, treatment, or rehabilitation by the well being committee as a condition to issuing or renewing the pharmacist's license. The board may also enter into a diversion agreement and refer the licensee to the committee in lieu of pursuing disciplinary actions.
The committee must report to the board the name of any licensee who refuses to enter treatment within forty-eight hours following the provider's determination that the pharmacist needs treatment, fails to comply with the terms of the licensees treatment contract, or resumes the practice of pharmacy before the provider has clearly determined that the pharmacist is capable of practicing according to acceptable and prevailing standards.
This act is similar to HCS/HB 1700, SCS/HCS/HB 1168 (2006), and SB 195 (2007).
CHRIS HOGERTY