Bill Text: CA SB443 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Pharmacy: emergency medical services automated drug delivery system.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-10-10 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 647, Statutes of 2017. [SB443 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB443-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 443

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Introduced by Senator Hernandez

February 15, 2017

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An act to amend Section 4119 of, and to add Section 4034.5 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to pharmacy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 443, as introduced, Hernandez. Pharmacy: emergency medical services automated drug delivery system.

Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, provides for the licensing and regulation of the practice of pharmacy by the California State Board of Pharmacy, which is within in the Department of Consumer Affairs, and makes any violation of the Pharmacy Law punishable as a crime. Existing law authorizes a pharmacy to furnish a dangerous drug or a dangerous device to licensed health care facility for storage in a secured emergency pharmaceutical supplies container maintained within the facility or to an approved service provider within an emergency medical services system for storage in a secured emergency pharmaceutical supplies container if certain policies and procedures are met.

This bill would authorize a pharmacy or wholesaler to furnish dangerous drugs or dangerous devices into an emergency medical services automated drug delivery system, as defined, located within a county operated fire department if specified conditions are met, including that the county fire department obtain a license from the board to operate the system, and requires dangerous drugs and dangerous devices stored or maintained in an emergency medical services automated drug delivery system to be used for the sole purpose of restocking a secured emergency pharmaceutical supplies container. The bill would provide that a violation of these provisions constitutes unprofessional conduct and would authorize the board to take action against the license of the fire department. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 4119 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

4119.

 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pharmacy may furnish a dangerous drug or dangerous device to a licensed health care facility for storage in a secured emergency pharmaceutical supplies container maintained within the facility in accordance with facility regulations of the State Department of Public Health set forth in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations and the requirements set forth in Section 1261.5 of the Health and Safety Code. These emergency supplies shall be approved by the facility’s patient care policy committee or pharmaceutical service committee and shall be readily available to each nursing station. Section 1261.5 of the Health and Safety Code limits the number of oral dosage form or suppository form drugs in these emergency supplies to 24 48.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pharmacy may furnish a dangerous drug or a dangerous device to an approved service provider within an emergency medical services system for storage in a secured emergency pharmaceutical supplies container, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the local emergency medical services agency, if all of the following are met:

(1) The dangerous drug or dangerous device is furnished exclusively for use in conjunction with services provided in an ambulance, or other approved emergency medical services service provider, that provides prehospital emergency medical services.

(2) The requested dangerous drug or dangerous device is within the licensed or certified emergency medical technician’s scope of practice as established by the Emergency Medical Services Authority and set forth in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(3) The approved service provider within an emergency medical services system provides a written request that specifies the name and quantity of dangerous drugs or dangerous devices.

(4) The approved emergency medical services provider administers dangerous drugs and dangerous devices in accordance with the policies and procedures of the local emergency medical services agency.

(5) The approved emergency medical services provider documents, stores, and restocks dangerous drugs and dangerous devices in accordance with the policies and procedures of the local emergency medical services agency.

Records of each request by, and dangerous drugs or dangerous devices furnished to, an approved service provider within an emergency medical services system, shall be maintained by both the approved service provider and the dispensing pharmacy for a period of at least three years.

The furnishing of controlled substances to an approved emergency medical services provider shall be in accordance with the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act. Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 11000) of the Health and Safety Code).

(c) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a pharmacy or wholesaler may furnish dangerous drugs or dangerous devices into an emergency medical services automated drug delivery system (EMSADDS) located within a county operated fire department. Dangerous drugs and dangerous devices stored or maintained in an EMSADDS shall be used for the sole purpose of restocking a secured emergency pharmaceutical supplies container as authorized in subdivision (b). The EMSADDS may be used only if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The county fire department obtains a license from the board to operate the EMSADDS on the premise of a fire station. A separate license shall be required for each location. As part of its license application, the county shall provide the address of the fire station, the name of the county medical director responsible for overseeing the emergency medical services system, the name of the designated pharmacist, the policies and procedures detailing the provisions under which the EMSADDS will operate, and the name and license number of the pharmacy or wholesaler that will furnish the dangerous drugs and dangerous devices.

(B) Each EMSADDS shall collect, control, and maintain all transaction information necessary to accurately track the movement of drugs into and out of the system for purposes of security, accuracy, and accountability.

(C) The county medical director and designated pharmacist shall develop, adopt, and maintain policies and procedures detailing the provisions under which the EMSADDS will operate. At a minimum, the policies and procedures shall address (i) inventory controls, (ii) training, (iii) storage and security of the dangerous drugs and dangerous devices, and (iv) safeguards to limit access to the EMSADDS to only authorized staff.

(D) A pharmacist shall stock and inventory the dangerous drugs and dangerous devices in EMSADDS.

(E) The designated pharmacist shall review, on a monthly basis, the operation of the EMSADDS for compliance with inventory controls specified in the policies and procedures.

(F) The county medical director and designated pharmacist shall be jointly responsible for monthly review of the county fire department’s training, storage, and security of dangerous drugs and dangerous devices and the restocking procedures, including, but not limited to, a review of the use of EMSADDS records to verify that only authorized staff, as provided for in this section, access and remove dangerous drugs and dangerous devices from the EMSADDS.

(G) The county fire department shall limit access to the EMSADDS to only employees of the county that are licensed by the state as paramedics or pharmacists or to the fire department’s medical director.

(H) A record of each access to the EMSADDS shall be maintained for at least three years in a readily retrievable form. The records shall include the identity of the licensed paramedic or pharmacist or the fire department’s medical director who accessed the system as well as the drug, dosage, form, and quantity removed.

(2) A violation of any of the provisions of this subdivision shall constitute unprofessional conduct and provides the board the authority to take action against the county fire department’s license for the EMSADDS.

SEC. 2.

 Section 4034.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

4034.5.

 An “emergency medical services automated drug delivery system” or “EMSADDS” means an automated drug delivery system that stores and distributes drugs for the sole purpose of restocking a secured emergency pharmaceutical supplies container that is used by an emergency medical services agency to provide emergency medical services.

SEC. 3.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.