Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 480-3-.03 - Continuing Pharmacy Education
(1) The Georgia State Board of Pharmacy has
the statutory responsibility and authority for the requirement of continuing
education as prerequisite for a license renewal.
(2) The purpose of continuing education for
pharmacists is to maintain and enhance the professional competency of
pharmacists licensed to practice in Georgia for the protection of the health,
safety and welfare of the people of the State of Georgia.
(3) As a requirement for the biennial renewal
of his/her license, a pharmacist must complete not less than thirty (30) hours
of approved continuing education.
(4) One hour of C.E. is defined as 0.1 C.E.U.
Each pharmacist in the State of Georgia must obtain 30 hours of continuing
education or 3.0 C.E.U.'s per biennium for license renewal.
(a) Certificates documenting that 30 hours of
approved continuing education or 3.0 C.E.U.'s must be completed and dated
within the biennium.
(5)
A pharmacist licensed before or during the first six (6) months of the biennium
(January to June), shall be required to obtain 30 hours of C.E. A pharmacist
licensed during the following twelve (12) months (June to July) shall be
required to obtain 15 hours of C.E. A pharmacist licensed during the last six
(6) months of the biennium shall be exempt from continuing education for that
biennium only.
(6) In the event of
an audit and a pharmacist fails to submit certificates, which document his/her
required continuing education credits, the Board will not process his/her
request to renew the license until the continuing education requirements are
provided to the Board.
(a) The pharmacist may
not carry over continuing education credits from one licensing period to the
next.
(b) Nothing is meant to
prohibit representatives from the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency (GDNA)
from assisting, auditing, or verifying a pharmacist's continuing education
certificates as needed.
(c) Each
licensed pharmacist shall maintain these certificates of attendance at
continuing education meetings for a period of two (2) years from the date of
the preceding renewal period.
(7) The staff of the Georgia Board of
Pharmacy may audit, or otherwise select randomly, the continuing education of a
percentage of licensees as determined by the Board.
(8) The Board may accept continuing education
approved by other Boards of Pharmacy where such continuing education meets the
requirements established by the Board.
(9) Approval of providers and sponsors shall
be as follows:
(a) All providers and sponsors
of continuing education must be approved by the Board.
(b) American Council on Pharmaceutical
Education (A.C.P.E.) approved providers shall submit documentation to the Board
of such approval every two (2) years and have blanket approval.
(c) All other providers shall request
approval of programs as a provider on the program approval form each time a
program is presented. Nothing in these rules are meant to prohibit the Board
and/or GDNA from establishing a program or programs which can be granted
special program approval(s) by the Board, and which may be utilized on more
than one occasion or whenever such program or programs are presented by the
Board or GDNA during a biennium.
(10) The following criteria for quality shall
be used for the approval of providers:
(a)
There shall be an administrative authority charged with the responsibility of
maintaining the criteria for quality in continuing education programming for
each provider.
(b) The
administration shall be stable and an established procedure shall exist that
insures an orderly transfer of responsibilities in the event there is a change
in administration.
(c) Providers
shall present a program or activity based on the needs of the target audience
or the timeliness of the topic.
(d)
Program objectives and rationale shall be stated.
(e) Providers shall give adequate, advanced
promotional information, material about target audience, goals and objectives,
program content, faculty credentials and fees.
(f) Each approved provider of continuing
education in the State of Georgia shall provide a means of registration of the
participants at each program and a record of attendance shall be maintained for
a period of five (5) years. The provider shall also furnish to each
participant, adequate documentation of his successful completion of the
program.
(g) There shall be a
method of program evaluation established and a statement of the evaluation
process planned shall accompany each application. (The Board may supply sample
forms.)
(11) Providers
shall furnish each participant with adequate documentation of this or her
participation in the program. Information shall include:
(a) Name and license number in each state of
participant;
(b) Name of
provider;
(c) Name of
program;
(d) Hours/C.E.U.
completed;
(e) Date of
completion;
(f) Authorized
signature.
(12) The
provider shall develop policies and procedures for the management of
grievances. (This does not have to be submitted to the Board.)
(13) The facility shall be appropriate and
adequately equipped to support the delivery of the program.
(14) Approval of programs shall be as
follows:
(a) Acceptable forms of continuing
education shall be as follows:
1. Institutes,
seminars;
2. Lectures, conferences,
workshops;
3. Correspondence and
electronically delivered courses that are A.C.P.E. approved.
(b) The following are not
acceptable as continuing educations programs: welcoming remarks, business
sessions, unstructured demonstrations, degree programs, or medical continuing
education programs which are not A.C.P.E. or Georgia Board approved.
(15) All continuing education
providers seeking approval of the continuing education program by the Georgia
Board shall submit a program approval form for each program presented. These
forms should be submitted sixty (60) days in advance. The Board may exempt
programs from this advance time requirement period as set forth by Board
policy.
Notes
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