Administrative Rules of Montana › Department 24 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY › Chapter 24.174 - BOARD OF PHARMACY › Subchapter 24.174.11 - Institutional Pharmacies › Rule 24.174.1112 - REMOTE MEDICATION ORDER PROCESSING SERVICES

Current through Register Vol. 13, July 5, 2024
(1) A hospital pharmacy may outsource
				medication order processing to another pharmacy provided the pharmacies have
				the same owner or the pharmacy has entered into a written contract or agreement
				with an outsourcing company that outlines the services to be provided and the
				responsibilities and accountabilities of each party to the contract or
				agreement in compliance with federal and state statutes and
				regulations.
(2) The hospital
				pharmacy must provide a copy of the contract or agreement to the board and
				receive approval from the board or its designee prior to initiation of remote
				order entry services.
(3) A
				hospital pharmacy utilizing remote order entry shall ensure that all
				pharmacists providing such services have been trained on the pharmacy's
				policies and procedures relating to medication order processing. The training
				of each pharmacist shall be documented. Such training shall include, but is not
				limited to, policies on drug and food allergy documentation, abbreviations,
				administration times, automatic stop orders, substitution, and formulary
				compliance. The pharmacy and the pharmacy/outsourcing company shall jointly
				develop a procedure to communicate changes in formulary and changes in policies
				and procedures related to medication order processing.
(4) A hospital pharmacy utilizing a remote
				order entry pharmacist shall maintain a record of the name and address of such
				pharmacist, evidence of current licensure in Montana, and the address of each
				location where the pharmacist will be providing remote order entry
				services.
(5) The director of
				pharmacy shall ensure that any remote order entry pharmacist shall have secure
				electronic access to the hospital pharmacy's patient information system and to
				other electronic systems that the on-site pharmacist has access to when the
				pharmacy is open.
(6) The remote
				order entry pharmacist must be able to contact the prescribing practitioner to
				discuss any concerns identified during the pharmacist's review of patient
				information and the drug order. A procedure must be in place to communicate any
				problems identified with the practitioner and the nursing staff providing
				direct patient care.
(7) Each
				remote entry record must comply with all recordkeeping requirements and shall
				identify by name or other unique identifier, the pharmacist involved in the
				review and verification of the drug order.
(8) A pharmacy utilizing remote order entry
				processing services is responsible for maintaining records of all orders
				entered into their information system, including orders entered from a remote
				location. The system shall have the ability to audit the activities of the
				individuals remotely processing medication orders.
(9) All records shall be readily available
				upon request by the board, its designee, or agent of the board for inspection,
				copying, or production.
(10) A
				pharmacy utilizing remote order entry processing services shall maintain a
				policy and procedure manual. A remote pharmacy/order processing company shall
				maintain a copy of those portions of the policy and procedure manual that
				relate to that pharmacy's operations. Each manual shall:
(a) outline the responsibilities of the
				pharmacy and the remote pharmacy/order processing company;
(b) include a list of the names, addresses,
				telephone numbers, and all license numbers of the pharmacies/pharmacists
				involved in remote order entry processing; and
(c) include policies and procedures for:
(i) protecting the confidentiality and
				integrity of patient information;
(ii) maintaining appropriate records of each
				pharmacist involved in order processing;
(iii) complying with federal and state
				statutes and regulations;
(iv)
				annually reviewing the written policies and procedures and documentation of the
				annual review; and
(v) annually
				reviewing the competencies of pharmacists providing remote order entry
				processing services.