 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
remote dispensing pharmacies; rural hospitals
Purpose
Permits specified hospitals to operate remote dispensing site pharmacies with Board of Pharmacy (Board) approval.
Background
Statue defines remote dispensing site pharmacy as a pharmacy where a pharmacy technician or pharmacy intern prepares, compounds or dispenses prescription medications with a pharmacist supervising remotely using audio and visual technology (A.R.S. § 32-1901).
A remote dispensing
pharmacy must obtain and maintain a pharmacy license issued by the Board and
must: 1) be jointly owned by a supervising pharmacy or be operated under a
contract with a licensed pharmacy; 2) be supervised by a licensed pharmacist
who is designated as responsible for the oversight of the remote dispensing
site pharmacy; 3) display a sign visible to the public indicating prescribed
information; 4) meet recordkeeping requirements; 5) maintain a perpetual
inventory of controlled substances and a specified monitoring system; 6) secure
schedule II controlled substances that are opioids separately and as
prescribed; 7) comply with schedule II controlled substance limitations; 8)
maintain a specified system of video surveillance and recording; and 9)
maintain a policy and procedures manual with prescribed contents (A.R.S.
§ 32-1961.01).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows hospitals with fewer than 50 beds located in a county with a population of less than 500,000 persons to operate a remote dispensing site pharmacy under the remote supervision of a pharmacist while the pharmacy is open for services, subject to Board approval.
2. Makes technical and conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 8, 2021
CRS/JP/kja