Collaborative pharmacy practice for chronic health conditions.

(1) For purposes of this section, the term:

(a) “Collaborative pharmacy practice agreement” means a written agreement between a pharmacist who meets the qualifications of this section and a physician licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459 in which a collaborating physician authorizes a pharmacist to provide specified patient care services to the collaborating physician’s patients.

(b) “Chronic health condition” means:

1. Arthritis;

2. Asthma;

3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases;

4. Type 2 diabetes;

5. Human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome;

6. Obesity; or

7. Any other chronic condition adopted in rule by the board, in consultation with the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine.

(2) To provide services under a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement, a pharmacist must be certified by the board, according to the rules adopted by the board in consultation with the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine. To be certified, a pharmacist must, at a minimum:

(a) Hold an active and unencumbered license to practice pharmacy in this state.

(b) Have earned a degree of doctor of pharmacy or have completed 5 years of experience as a licensed pharmacist.

(c) Have completed an initial 20-hour course approved by the board, in consultation with the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine, that includes, at a minimum, instruction on the following:

1. Performance of patient assessments.

2. Ordering, performing, and interpreting clinical and laboratory tests related to collaborative pharmacy practice.

3. Evaluating and managing diseases and health conditions in collaboration with other health care practitioners.

4. Any other area required by the board.

(d) Maintain at least $250,000 of professional liability insurance coverage. However, a pharmacist who maintains professional liability insurance coverage pursuant to s. 465.1895 satisfies this requirement.

(e) Have established a system to maintain records of all patients receiving services under a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement for a period of 5 years from each patient’s most recent provision of service.

(3) The terms and conditions of the collaborative pharmacy practice agreement must be appropriate to the pharmacist’s training, and the services delegated to the pharmacist must be within the collaborating physician’s scope of practice. A copy of the certification issued under subsection (2) must be included as an attachment to the collaborative pharmacy practice agreement.

(a) A collaborative pharmacy practice agreement must include the following:

1. Name of the collaborating physician’s patient or patients for whom a pharmacist may provide services.

2. Each chronic health condition to be collaboratively managed.

3. Specific medicinal drug or drugs to be managed by the pharmacist for each patient.

4. Circumstances under which the pharmacist may order or perform and evaluate laboratory or clinical tests.

5. Conditions and events upon which the pharmacist must notify the collaborating physician and the manner and timeframe in which such notification must occur.

6. Beginning and ending dates for the collaborative pharmacy practice agreement and termination procedures, including procedures for patient notification and medical records transfers.

7. A statement that the collaborative pharmacy practice agreement may be terminated, in writing, by either party at any time.

(b) A collaborative pharmacy practice agreement shall automatically terminate 2 years after execution if not renewed.

(c) The pharmacist, along with the collaborating physician, must maintain on file the collaborative pharmacy practice agreement at his or her practice location, and must make such agreement available to the department or board upon request or inspection.

(d) A pharmacist who enters into a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement must submit a copy of the signed agreement to the board before the agreement may be implemented.

(4) A pharmacist may not:

(a) Modify or discontinue medicinal drugs prescribed by a health care practitioner with whom he or she does not have a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement.

(b) Enter into a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement while acting as an employee without the written approval of the owner of the pharmacy.

(5) A physician may not delegate the authority to initiate or prescribe a controlled substance as described in s. 893.03 or 21 U.S.C. s. 812 to a pharmacist.

(6) A pharmacist who practices under a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement must complete an 8-hour continuing education course approved by the board that addresses issues related to collaborative pharmacy practice each biennial licensure renewal in addition to the continuing education requirements under s. 465.009. A pharmacist must submit confirmation of having completed such course when applying for licensure renewal. A pharmacist who fails to comply with this subsection shall be prohibited from practicing under a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement under this section.

(7) The board, in consultation with the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine, shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section.