SECTION 535:15-6-20. Remote medication order processing

(a)   Hospitals, the pharmacist manager and the director of pharmacy at the hospital that allow remote medication order processing shall establish and maintain policies and procedures related to remote medication order processing.

(1)   Such registrants remain responsible to assure the hospital drug room meets requirements under Oklahoma laws and rules.

(2)   Such registrants shall be responsible to assure RMOP, if used, is reviewed at least annually and that proper credentialing, review and that oversight is established, maintained and exercised.

(b)   Prior to implementation of RMOP services, training shall be provided by the hospital drug room and the relevant portions of the hospital drug room's policy and procedure manual on RMOP entry shall be established and maintained; and reviewed by the Pharmacist providing RMOP entry services at least annually.

(c)   All pharmacists involved in RMOP entry services are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality, privacy and security of patient health care information. At a minimum, the following conditions must be met:

(1)   Pharmacists performing RMOP entry must be licensed by the Board.

(2)   Pharmacists performing RMOP entry must adhere to the hospital's confidentiality policy and are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of patient information as described in 535:10-3-1.1 (6) and 535:10-3-1.2 (a) (16).

(3)   The hospital shall ensure the pharmacist performing remote medication order processing has individual, pharmacist-specific access to the hospital drug room's patient information system and to other electronic systems that on-site pharmacists have access to during the hours of operation of the hospital drug room.

(d)   The hospital will make available to the pharmacist(s) performing RMOP entry, access to either hard-copy or online references as described in 535:15-5-9(1)(B) and 535:15-5-9(1)(C).

(e)   The hospital's computer system shall have the ability to audit the activities of the pharmacist(s) remotely processing RMOP orders.

(f)   A hospital drug room may allow RMOP for the patient population served under the hospital's drug room license by a pharmacist employed by the same licensed hospital drug room. Remote medication order processing performed for patients served under a different hospital drug room licensure requires a contractual arrangement fulfilling the responsibilities as outlined in 535:15-4-5.

(g)   All Pharmacists who engage in RMOP shall ensure the following minimum information technology standards and specifications are met and maintained at the remote site:

(1)   Availability of internet, phone, and scan or fax access to the hospital.

(2)   Ability to access the hospital facility via the hospital's information system.

(3)   To the extent possible, have redundant systems in place to ensure remote medication order processing service availability (e.g. internet connectivity, other information systems used to facilitate remote medication order processing).

(4)   Have secure electronic access to the hospital's patient information system and to all other electronic systems that the on-site pharmacist has access to when the pharmacy is open.

(5)   Use of a computer workstation e.g. with passwords, firewalls, and encryption.

(h)   The record of each patient-specific RMOP drug or device order processed pursuant to this rule shall identify, by name or other unique identifier, each pharmacist involved in the review and verification of the order.

(i)   Remote medication order processing by a pharmacist shall not relieve the hospital drug room from employing or contracting with pharmacist(s) to provide routine pharmacy services within the facility. The activities authorized by this rule are intended to supplement hospital drug room services when the pharmacy is closed or additional pharmacist assistance is needed and are not intended to eliminate the need for an on-site hospital drug room or pharmacist(s).

(j)   Pharmacists performing remote medication order processing shall not be included in the ratio of the pharmacist and technician as outlined in 535:15-5-7.2.(e).

(k)   A pharmacist employed by or contracting with a hospital drug room for on-site services may provide remote medication order processing services when the hospital drug room is closed or additional pharmacist assistance is needed through a remote medication order processing pharmacy.

[Source: Added at 27 Ok Reg 2256, eff 7-11-10; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 1229, eff 8-27-15]