NAC639.921. Sharing information between systems: Conditions and requirements.

     1. Information concerning prescriptions may be shared between the computerized systems of two or more pharmacies licensed by the Board if:

     (a) The pharmacies are commonly owned; and

     (b) The computerized systems for recording information concerning prescriptions share a common database that:

          (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, contains all the information concerning a patient that is contained in each computerized system that has access to the common database;

          (2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, contains all the information concerning a prescription that is contained in each computerized system that has access to the common database;

          (3) After a prescription has been filled, automatically decreases the number of refills remaining for the prescription, if any, regardless of which pharmacy filled the prescription;

          (4) Automatically stores any modification or manipulation of information concerning a prescription made by a pharmacy with access to the common database so that the modification or manipulation is available to each pharmacy with access to the common database;

          (5) Allows access only by a person who is authorized to obtain information from the common database;

          (6) Requires any person who is authorized to modify or manipulate information concerning a prescription, before modifying or manipulating the information concerning the prescription, to identify himself or herself in the computerized system by:

               (I) Using a biometric identification technique; or

               (II) Entering into the computerized system another unique identifier which is approved by the Board and which is known only to and used only by that person;

          (7) Makes and maintains an unchangeable record of each person who modifies or manipulates information concerning the prescription, that includes, without limitation:

               (I) The name or initials of the person;

               (II) An identifier that can be used to determine the pharmacy in which the person modified or manipulated the information concerning the prescription; and

               (III) The type of activity concerning the prescription that the person performed, including, without limitation, modifying or manipulating the information concerning the prescription;

          (8) Contains a scanned image of the original prescription if the original prescription is a written prescription; and

          (9) Provides contact information for the first pharmacist who verifies the correctness of the information contained in the common database concerning the prescription.

     2. If a pharmacy is the initial pharmacy to receive a written prescription, a pharmacist shall ensure that:

     (a) The written prescription is numbered consecutively in accordance with NAC 639.914; and

     (b) The image of the prescription is scanned into the computerized system of the pharmacy.

     3. If a pharmacy other than the pharmacy that initially received a prescription enters information concerning a prescription into a computerized system for recording information concerning prescriptions, the information must not be accessible from the common database for the purpose of filling or dispensing a prescription until a pharmacist verifies the correctness of the information entered into the computerized system. After verifying that information, the pharmacist shall enter a notation in the computerized system that includes the pharmacist’s name, contact information and the date on which he or she verified the information.

     4. A pharmacy that fills a prescription using the information from the common database, other than the pharmacy that initially received the prescription, shall:

     (a) Process the prescription in the same manner as a prescription that is initially received by the pharmacy;

     (b) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), dispense the prescription in the same manner as a prescription that is initially received by the pharmacy; and

     (c) Place on the label of the container in which the prescription will be dispensed:

          (1) The number assigned to the prescription by the pharmacy that initially received the prescription; and

          (2) An additional number or other identifier that ensures that the number placed on the label pursuant to subparagraph (1) is not confused with a prescription number of the pharmacy that is filling the prescription.

     5. The filling of a prescription pursuant to the provisions of subsection 4 shall not be considered a transfer of the prescription.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Pharmacy by R039-07, eff. 12-4-2007)