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1999 SESSION

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HB 2461 Automated drug dispensing systems.

Introduced by: S. Chris Jones | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS PASSED: (all summaries)

Automated drug dispensing systems. Establishes definitions and requirements for automated drug dispensing systems in hospitals. “Automated drug dispensing system” means a mechanical or electronic system that performs operations or activities, other than compounding or administration, relating to pharmacy services, including the storage, dispensing, or distribution of drugs and the collection, control, and maintenance of all transaction information, to provide security and accountability for such drugs. “Pharmacist-in-charge” means the person who, being licensed as a pharmacist, signs the application for a pharmacy permit and assumes full legal responsibility for the operation of the relevant pharmacy in a manner complying with the laws and regulations for the practice of pharmacy and the sale and dispensing of controlled substances; the “pharmacist-in-charge” shall personally supervise the pharmacy and the pharmacy’s personnel as required by § 54.1-3432. This provision establishes conditions for the operation of automated drug dispensing systems, including having the drugs placed in the system in a hospital and under the control of a pharmacy providing services to the hospital; requiring the pharmacist-in-charge of the pharmacy to establish procedures for assuring the accurate stocking, proper storage, accountability, and security of all drugs utilized in the automated drug dispensing system until the time such drugs are removed from the automated drug dispensing system for administration to the patients; requiring drugs be removed from any automated drug dispensing system for administration to patients only pursuant to a valid prescription or lawful order of a prescriber; requiring adequate security for automated drug dispensing systems to be provided, as evidenced by written policies and procedures for preventing unauthorized access, complying with federal and state regulations on prescribing and dispensing controlled substances, and maintaining patient confidentiality; and assuring compliance with these conditions. In addition, accountability for drugs dispensed from automated drug dispensing systems is vested in the pharmacist-in-charge of the relevant pharmacy; filling and stocking of all drugs in automated drug dispensing systems must be performed under the direction of the pharmacist-in-charge; the task of filling and stocking of drugs into an automated drug dispensing system must be performed by a pharmacist or the designee of the pharmacist-in-charge, who must be an employee of the provider pharmacy and must be properly trained in accordance with established standards set forth in a policy and procedure manual maintained by the provider pharmacy. Delegation of filling and stocking tasks to a nonpharmacist cannot be conditioned on the use of the automated drug dispensing system as a floor stock system or a patient-specific drug dispensing system; however, the filling and stocking must be performed by a person who holds current certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board as a pharmacy technician. The pharmacist stocking and filling the automated drug dispensing system or, if a nonpharmacist is delegated this task, the pharmacist-in-charge will be responsible for the proper and accurate stocking and filling of the automated drug dispensing system. Drugs placed into and removed from automated drug dispensing systems for administration to patients must be in the manufacturer’s or distributor’s sealed original packaging or in unit-dose containers packaged by the pharmacy. The relevant pharmacist-in-charge is responsible for establishing procedures for periodically inspecting and auditing automated drug dispensing systems to assure the proper storage, security, and accountability for all drugs placed in and removed from automated drug dispensing systems, and for reviewing the operation and maintenance of automated drug dispensing systems. This monitoring must only be performed by a pharmacist while on the premises of the hospital and in accordance with the pharmacist-in-charge’s procedures and the Board of Pharmacy’s regulations. Emergency regulations are required.


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