Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
Board
Board of Pharmacy
chapter
Regulations Governing the Practice of Pharmacy [18 VAC 110 ‑ 20]
Action:
Use of medication carousels and RFID technology
Action 5480
 
General Information
Action Summary The Board intends to incorporate into regulations certain allowances that have been approved for implementation by pilot programs in several hospital systems. Amendments will be proposed for section 425 on robotic pharmacy systems to allow for medication carousels used in a hospital to store and guide the selection of drugs to be dispensed or removed from the pharmacy. Certain safeguards will be adopted to include a verification check by a pharmacist for the accuracy of the barcode assignment to an individual drug. Under specified conditions, a pharmacist will not be required to check the accuracy of a patient-specific drug removed from a carousel or the accuracy of a drug removed by a pharmacy technician to be placed into an automated drug dispensing system. A new section (505) will be added to incorporate another technology already approved for innovative pilot programs – the use of radio-frequency identification to verify the accuracy of drugs placed into a kit for licensed emergency medical services personnel or other kits used as floor stock throughout a hospital. The regulations will specify the responsibilities of a pharmacist and the duties of a pharmacy technician in the use of RFID technology. The intent is utilization of newer technologies that facilitate the ability of pharmacists to focus on patient-centered care and reduce the possibility of medication errors.
Chapters Affected Only affects this chapter.
Executive Branch Review This action will go through the normal Executive Branch Review process.
RIS Project Yes  [006271]
New Periodic Review This action will not be used to conduct a new periodic review.
 
Stages
Stages associated with this regulatory action.
Stage ID Stage Type Status
8892 NOIRA Stage complete. Comment period ended 10/14/2020.
9236 Proposed Stage complete. Comment period ended 10/15/2021.
9584 Final Stage complete. This regulation became effective on 12/07/2022.
 
Contact Information
Name / Title: Caroline Juran, RPh  / Executive Director
Address: 9960 Mayland Drive
Suite 300
Richmond, VA 23233-1463
Email Address: caroline.juran@dhp.virginia.gov
Phone: (804)367-4456    FAX: (804)527-4472    TDD: ()-

This person is the primary contact for this chapter.