(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Electronic technology” or “telepharmacy” means the process: (A) By which each step involved in the dispensing of a sterile product is verified through use of a bar code tracking system and documented by means of digital photographs which are electronically recorded and preserved; and (B) which is monitored and verified through video and audio communication between a licensed supervising pharmacist and a pharmacy technician;

(2) “Sterile product” means any drug, as that term is defined in section 20-571, that is compounded, manipulated or otherwise prepared under sterile conditions during the dispensing process, is not intended for self-administration by a patient and is intended to be used in a hospital, or its satellite, remote or affiliated office-based locations;

(3) “Pharmacist” means an individual who is licensed to practice pharmacy under the provisions of section 20-590, 20-591, 20-592 or 20-593 and who is thereby recognized as a health care provider by the state of Connecticut; and

(4) “Pharmacy technician” means an individual who is registered with the department and qualified in accordance with section 20-598a.

(b) A hospital, licensed in accordance with the provisions of chapter 368v, which operates a hospital pharmacy, may use electronic technology or telepharmacy at the hospital and at the hospital's satellite or remote locations for purposes of allowing a pharmacist to supervise pharmacy technicians in the dispensing of sterile products. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, a pharmacist shall be permitted to supervise a pharmacy technician through use of electronic technology, and under such supervision the pharmacist shall monitor and verify the activities of a pharmacy technician through audio and video communication. The pharmacist-to-technician ratio pursuant to section 20-576-33 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies shall apply. In the event of a malfunction of the electronic technology, no sterile product prepared by a pharmacy technician during the time period of the malfunction may be distributed to patients, unless a licensed pharmacist is able to: (1) Personally review and verify the accuracy of all processes utilized in the dispensing of the sterile product; or (2) upon the restoration of the electronic technology, utilize the mechanisms of the electronic technology which recorded the actions of the pharmacy technician to confirm that all proper steps were followed in the dispensing of the sterile product. All orders for sterile products to be dispensed using telepharmacy shall be verified by a pharmacist prior to being delegated to a pharmacy technician for such dispensing. A hospital shall ensure that appropriately licensed personnel administer medications dispensed using telepharmacy. All of the processes involved in a hospital's use of telepharmacy shall be under the purview of the hospital's director of pharmacy.

(c) A hospital using telepharmacy shall undertake periodic quality assurance evaluations, not less than once per calendar quarter, which shall include, upon discovery, prompt review of any error in medication administration which occurs where telepharmacy is used to dispense such medication. A hospital shall make such quality assurance evaluations available for review and inspection by the Departments of Consumer Protection and Public Health.

(P.A. 11-242, S. 50; P.A. 12-28, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 11-242 effective July 13, 2011; P.A. 12-28 amended Subsec. (a) by redefining “electronic technology” or “telepharmacy” in Subdiv. (1) and replacing definition of “IV admixture” with definition of “sterile product” in Subdiv. (2), amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provisions re pilot program, adding provisions re use of telepharmacy, replacing provisions re IV admixture with provisions re sterile product and adding provision re pharmacist-to-technician ratio, amended Subsec. (c) by deleting provisions re pilot program, adding provisions re use of telepharmacy and adding provision requiring quality assurance evaluations not less than once per calendar quarter, and deleted former Subsec. (d) re commencement and termination of pilot program, effective July 1, 2012.