RCW 18.64.570 Long-term care facilities and hospice programs—Legend drug resupply—Shared pharmacy services—Unused drugs.

(1) A pharmacy may resupply a legend drug to a patient at a long-term care facility or hospice program pursuant to a valid chart order that is signed by the prescribing practitioner, is not time limited, and has not been discontinued.

(2) A pharmacy may outsource shared pharmacy services for a long-term care facility or hospice program to another pharmacy if the outsourcing pharmacy:

(a) Obtains approval from the long-term care facility or hospice program to outsource shared pharmacy services for the facility's or program's residents or patients; and

(b) Provides a copy of the prescription or order to the pharmacy providing the shared pharmacy services.

(3) Shared pharmacy services may be used for, but are not limited to, the purpose of ensuring that drugs or devices are attainable to meet the immediate needs of residents of the long-term care facility or hospice program, or when the outsourcing pharmacy cannot provide services on an ongoing basis. Where a pharmacy uses shared pharmacy services to have a second pharmacy provide a first dose or partial fill of a prescription or drug order to meet a patient's or resident's immediate needs, the second supplying pharmacy may dispense the first dose or partially filled prescription on a satellite basis without the outsourcing pharmacy being required to fully transfer the prescription to the supplying pharmacy. The supplying pharmacy must retain a copy of the prescription or order on file, a copy of the dispensing record or fill, and must notify the outsourcing pharmacy of the service and quantity provided.

(4) A pharmacy may repackage and dispense unused drugs returned by a long-term care facility or hospice program to the pharmacy in per-use, blister packaging, whether in unit dose or modified unit dose form, except as prohibited by federal law. The commission must adopt rules providing for the safe and efficient repackaging, reuse, and disposal of unused drugs returned to a pharmacy from a long-term care facility or hospice program. In adopting rules, the commission must take into consideration the acceptance and dispensing requirements of RCW 69.70.050 (1), (2), and (5).

[ 2016 c 148 § 4.]