<<Prev Rule

Texas Administrative Code

Next Rule>>
TITLE 22EXAMINING BOARDS
PART 15TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY
CHAPTER 291PHARMACIES
SUBCHAPTER HOTHER CLASSES OF PHARMACY
RULE §291.153Central Prescription Drug or Medication Order Processing Pharmacy (Class G)

(a) Purpose.

  (1) The purpose of this section is to provide standards for a centralized prescription drug or medication order processing pharmacy.

  (2) Any facility established for the primary purpose of processing prescription drug or medication drug orders shall be licensed as a Class G pharmacy under the Act. A Class G pharmacy shall not store bulk drugs or dispense a prescription drug order. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit an individual pharmacist employee, individual pharmacy technician employee, or individual pharmacy technician trainee employee who is licensed in Texas from remotely accessing the pharmacy's electronic database from a location other than a licensed pharmacy in order to process prescription or medication drug orders, provided the pharmacy establishes controls to protect the privacy and security of confidential records, and the Texas-licensed pharmacist, pharmacy technician, or pharmacy technician trainee does not engage in the receiving of written prescription or medication orders or the maintenance of prescription or medication drug orders at the non-licensed remote location.

(b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Any term not defined in this section shall have the definition set out in the Act.

  (1) Centralized prescription drug or medication order processing--The processing of prescription drug or medication orders by a Class G pharmacy on behalf of another pharmacy, a health care provider, or a payor. Centralized prescription drug or medication order processing does not include the dispensing of a prescription drug but includes any of the following:

    (A) receiving, interpreting, or clarifying prescription drug or medication orders;

    (B) data entering and transferring of prescription drug or medication order information;

    (C) performing drug regimen review;

    (D) obtaining refill and substitution authorizations;

    (E) verifying accurate prescription data entry;

    (F) interpreting clinical data for prior authorization for dispensing;

    (G) performing therapeutic interventions; and

    (H) providing drug information concerning a patient's prescription.

  (2) Full-time pharmacist--A pharmacist who works in a pharmacy from 30 to 40 hours per week or, if the pharmacy is open less than 60 hours per week, one-half of the time the pharmacy is open.

(c) Personnel.

  (1) Pharmacist-in-charge.

    (A) General. Each Class G pharmacy shall have one pharmacist-in-charge who is employed on a full-time basis, who may be the pharmacist-in-charge for only one such pharmacy.

    (B) Responsibilities. The pharmacist-in-charge shall have responsibility for the practice of pharmacy at the pharmacy for which he or she is the pharmacist-in-charge. The pharmacist-in-charge may advise the owner on administrative or operational concerns. The pharmacist-in-charge shall have responsibility for, at a minimum, the following:

      (i) educating and training pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees;

      (ii) maintaining records of all transactions of the Class G pharmacy required by applicable state and federal laws and regulations;

      (iii) adhering to policies and procedures regarding the maintenance of records in a data processing system such that the data processing system is in compliance with Class G pharmacy requirements; and

      (iv) legally operating the pharmacy, including meeting all inspection and other requirements of all state and federal laws or regulations governing the practice of pharmacy.

  (2) Owner. The owner of a Class G pharmacy shall have responsibility for all administrative and operational functions of the pharmacy. The pharmacist-in-charge may advise the owner on administrative and operational concerns. The owner shall have responsibility for, at a minimum, the following, and if the owner is not a Texas licensed pharmacist, the owner shall consult with the pharmacist-in-charge or another Texas licensed pharmacist:

    (A) providing the pharmacy with the necessary equipment and resources commensurate with its level and type of practice; and

    (B) establishing policies and procedures regarding maintenance, storage, and retrieval of records in a data processing system such that the system is in compliance with state and federal requirements.

  (3) Pharmacists.

    (A) General.

      (i) The pharmacist-in-charge shall be assisted by a sufficient number of additional licensed pharmacists as may be required to operate the Class G pharmacy competently, safely, and adequately to meet the needs of the patients of the pharmacy.

      (ii) All pharmacists shall assist the pharmacist-in-charge in meeting his or her responsibilities.

      (iii) Pharmacists are solely responsible for the direct supervision of pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees and for designating and delegating duties, other than those listed in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, to pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees. Each pharmacist shall be responsible for any delegated act performed by pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees under his or her supervision.

      (iv) Pharmacists shall directly supervise pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees who are entering prescription data into the pharmacy's data processing system by one of the following methods.

        (I) Physically present supervision. A pharmacist shall be physically present to directly supervise a pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee who is entering prescription order or medication order data into the data processing system. Each prescription or medication order entered into the data processing system shall be verified at the time of data entry.

        (II) Electronic supervision. A pharmacist may electronically supervise a pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee who is entering prescription order or medication order data into the data processing system provided the pharmacist:

          (-a-) has the ability to immediately communicate directly with the technician/trainee;

          (-b-) has immediate access to any original document containing prescription or medication order information or other information related to the dispensing of the prescription or medication order. Such access may be through imaging technology provided the pharmacist has the ability to review the original, hardcopy documents if needed for clarification; and

          (-c-) verifies the accuracy of the data entered information prior to the release of the information to the system for storage.

        (III) Electronic verification of data entry by pharmacy technicians or pharmacy technician trainees. A pharmacist may electronically verify the data entry of prescription information into a data processing system provided:

          (-a-) the pharmacist has the ability to immediately communicate directly with the technician/trainee;

          (-b-) the pharmacist electronically conducting the verification is either a:

            (-1-) Texas licensed pharmacist; or

            (-2-) pharmacist employed by a Class E pharmacy that has the same owner as the Class G pharmacy where the pharmacy technicians/trainees are located, or that has entered into a written contract or agreement with the Class G pharmacy which outlines the services to be provided and the responsibilities and accountabilities of each pharmacy in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations;

          (-c-) the pharmacy establishes controls to protect the privacy and security of confidential records; and

          (-d-) the pharmacy keeps permanent records of prescriptions electronically verified for a period of two years.

      (v) All pharmacists while on duty, shall be responsible for complying with all state and federal laws or rules governing the practice of pharmacy.

    (B) Duties. Duties which may only be performed by a pharmacist are as follows:

      (i) receiving oral prescription drug or medication orders for controlled substances and reducing these orders to writing, either manually or electronically;

      (ii) interpreting prescription drug or medication orders;

      (iii) selecting drug products;

      (iv) verifying the data entry of the prescription drug or medication order information at the time of data entry prior to the release of the information to a Class A, Class C, or Class E pharmacy for dispensing;

      (v) communicating to the patient or patient's agent information about the prescription drug or device which in the exercise of the pharmacist's professional judgment, the pharmacist deems significant, as specified in §291.33(c) of this title (relating to Operational Standards);

Cont'd...

Next Page

Link to Texas Secretary of State Home Page | link to Texas Register home page | link to Texas Administrative Code home page | link to Open Meetings home page