Association News

TPA Community Pharmacy Transformation Pilot Project APPROVED by the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy

On September 13, 2017, the Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA) presented its Community Pharmacy Transformation Pilot Project proposal to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy. After some discussion, the pilot project was approved by the Board. Interested TPA members can view TPA’s presentation of the pilot project proposal by CLICKING HERE and starting at the 2:05 mark. TPA greatly appreciates the ongoing support, engagement, and input from our TPA members, as well as the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy members and staff, regarding this pilot project. More information is provided below.

What is the Community Pharmacy Transformation Pilot Project?

The Community Pharmacy Transformation Pilot Project utilizes an emerging pharmacy practice model that leverages Technician Product Verification (TPV) and Collaborative Pharmacy Practice (CPP) to optimize the delivery of pharmacist-provided care and services in community pharmacy practice settings. Community pharmacists remain in the perfect position to transform our health care system and leverage patient access to create a new vision for delivery of patient care. TPV utilizes certified pharmacy technicians with advanced training to facilitate delivery of high-quality pharmacist-provided patient care that ensures patient safety and better health outcomes. TPV pilot programs in community pharmacies in Iowa and Wisconsin have demonstrated that advance trained, certified technician accuracy in performing final verification is comparable to pharmacist accuracy, and the use of TPV in these states has resulted in increased time for pharmacists to provide high-quality patient care leading to optimal health outcomes, while maintaining a high level of patient safety.

Tennessee Board of Pharmacy Rule 1140-02-.02 currently permits technician product verification for inpatient institution-based pharmacy practice settings where certified pharmacy technicians verify the contents of unit dose carts and automated dispensing systems prepared by other registered technicians using additional verification, by either barcode technology or a licensed health care professional, prior to administration to the patient. Additionally, seven other states allow the use of TPV in the community pharmacy practice setting. With the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy’s approval of TPA’s request for the temporary Community Pharmacy Transformation Pilot Project, Tennessee becomes the eighth state to implement this model of care in the community pharmacy practice setting.

Training Requirements and Pilot Project Goals:

With approval of the Community Pharmacy Transformation Pilot Project by the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, TPA will move forward with site selection and training of independent and chain community pharmacists and certified pharmacy technicians, guide implementation of TPV and clinical services through Collaborative Pharmacy Practice, and track the results of this very important pilot project. Goals of the temporary pilot project include:

1. Evaluation of the impact of a community pharmacy-focused TPV program on patient safety measures
2. Examination of the impact of a TPV program relating to reallocating pharmacists’ time from technical duties to the delivery of patient-centered care
3. Assessment of the expansion of pharmacist-provided patient care in participating community pharmacy settings after implementation of a TPV program
4. Evaluation of the impact of this practice model change on the ability of pharmacists to achieve optimized patient-centered care through CPPAs

Implementation of TPV would:

INFOGRAPHIC

• Permit a certified pharmacy technician with advanced training in product verification to deliver the final verification of medication products (excluding compounds and controlled substances)
• Empower certified pharmacy technicians to screen patients and refer eligible patients to pharmacists for additional care and services
• Utilize a new pharmacy practice model to free up more time and increase patient access to pharmacist-provided services, such as those authorized by prescribers under CPPAs

• Change the pharmacist supervision requirements for pharmacy technicians
• Remove the pharmacist from the clinical decision-making process, Drug Utilization Review (DUR), or any other clinical component of the prescription dispensing process
• Diminish the importance of a pharmacist or the license they hold
• Replace pharmacists with pharmacy technicians