(a)  “Collaborative pharmacy practice” is that practice of pharmacy whereby one or more licensed pharmacist(s), with advanced training and experience relevant to the scope of collaborative practice, agrees to work in collaboration with one or more physicians for the purpose of drug therapy management of patients, such management to be pursuant to a protocol or protocols authorized by the physician(s) and subject to conditions and limitations as set forth by the department. A healthcare professional who has prescribing privileges and is employed by a collaborating physician may be in such an agreement.

Ask a business law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified business lawyers.
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(b)  “Collaborative practice agreement” is a written and signed agreement, entered into voluntarily, between one or more licensed pharmacist(s), with advanced training and experience relevant to the scope of collaborative practice, and one or more physicians that defines the collaborative pharmacy practice in which the pharmacist(s) and physician(s) propose to engage. Collaborative practice agreements shall be made in the best interest of public health.

(c)  “Collaborative practice committee” shall consist of six (6) individuals: three (3) individuals to be appointed by the board of pharmacy from nominees provided by the Rhode Island Pharmacists Association and three (3) individuals to be appointed by the board of medical licensure and discipline from nominees provided by the Rhode Island Medical Society. The collaborative practice committee shall advise the director on all issues pertinent to the regulation of collaborative practice agreements.

(d)  “Drug therapy management” means the review, in accordance with a collaborative practice agreement, of drug therapy regimen or regimens of patients by one or more licensed pharmacist(s) for the purpose of initiating, adjusting, monitoring, or discontinuing the regimen. Decisions involving drug therapy management shall be made in the best interests of the patient. In accordance with a collaborative practice agreement, drug therapy management may include:

(1)  Initiating, adjusting, monitoring, or discontinuing drug therapy;

(2)  Collecting and reviewing patient histories;

(3)  Obtaining and checking vital signs, including pulse, height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, and respiration; and

(4)  Under the supervision of, or in direct consultation with, one or more physician(s), ordering and evaluating the results of laboratory tests directly related to drug therapy when performed in accordance with approved protocols applicable to the practice setting and providing such evaluation does not include any diagnostic component.

(e)  “Limited-function test” means those tests listed in the federal register under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) as waived tests. For the purposes of this chapter, limited-function test shall include only the following: blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol tests, and/or other tests that are classified as waived under CLIA and are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale to the public without a prescription in the form of an over-the-counter test kit.

(f)  “Pharmacist with advanced training and experience relevant to the scope of collaborative practice” means a licensed pharmacist in this state with a bachelor of science in pharmacy and postgraduate educational training or a doctor of pharmacy degree. Such training shall include, but not be limited to, residency training; board certification; certification from an accredited professional organization educational institution; or any other continuing education provider approved by the director of health relevant to the proposed scope of the collaborative practice agreement.

(g)  “Practice of pharmacy” means the interpretation, evaluation, and implementation of medical orders, including the performance of clinical laboratory tests, provided such testing is limited to limited-function tests as defined herein; the dispensing of prescription drug orders; participation in drug and device selection; drug regimen reviews and drug or drug-related research; provision of patient counseling and the provision of those acts or services necessary to provide pharmaceutical care; drug therapy management pursuant to a collaborative practice agreement; and the responsibility for the supervision for compounding and labeling of drugs and devices (except labeling by a manufacturer, repackager, or distributor of nonprescription drugs and commercially packaged legend drugs and devices); proper and safe storage of drugs and devices; and maintenance of proper records for them.