Tennessee Board of Pharmacy Follaborative Pharmance Practice Adopted as Law in Tennessee

Collaborative Pharmacy Practice Adopted

as Law in Tennessee

With an overwhelming House vote of 98-0 and Senate vote

of 32-0, the Tennessee General Assembly voted unanimously

to give Tennessee-licensed pharmacists the ability to enter into

collaborative pharmacy practice agreements with prescribers to

improve the health, safety, and quality of care for their patients.

According to the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, studies

have consistently shown that patient health improves significantly

when pharmacists work in collaboration with physicians

and other health care providers to manage the care of patients.

In the past, the Pharmacy Practice Act has included the ability

to obtain a “medical order” for vaccines, medication therapies,

and other patient care services. On April 29, 2014, Governor

Bill Haslam signed this bill into law as Public Chapter (PC)

832. PC 832 becomes effective on July 1, 2014, and it defines

collaborative pharmacy practice as follows.

Section 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-10-204,

in part:

. . . [amended]( ) “Collaborative pharmacy practice”

is the practice of pharmacy whereby one (1) or more

licensed pharmacists licensed in this state, jointly and

voluntarily work with one (1) or more prescribers

licensed in this state, under a collaborative pharmacy

practice agreement to provide patient care services,

to achieve optimal medication use and desired patient

outcomes. . .

Furthermore, collaborative pharmacy practice agreement is

defined as follows.

( )“Collaborative pharmacy practice agreement” is a

written and signed agreement entered into voluntarily

between one (1) or more licensed pharmacists in this

state, and one (1) or more prescribers licensed in this

state, each of whom is in active practice in this state providing

patient care services in this state, that provides for

collaborative pharmacy practice, as defined by law. . .

Furthermore, according to Section 4, Tennessee Code Annotated,

Title 63, Chapter 10, Part 2 (amended), the Board will

promulgate rules as stated in part:

. . . 63-10-217 (g) The board of pharmacy, in collaboration

with the board of medical examiners and board of

osteopathic examination, shall promulgate rules establishing

appropriate minimum standards applicable for

provisions to be contained in any collaborative practice

agreement, including, but not limited to, provisions

regarding drugs or drug categories such as controlled

substances covered under the collaborative pharmacy

practice agreement. . .

For the complete amendment and PC, see the next article

(below) for instructions.
quoted from here