| 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. |
| 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: ()- |