N.M. Admin. Code § 16.19.4.18 - PHARMACIST CLINICIAN

A. Purpose: The purpose of these regulations is to implement the Pharmacist Prescriptive Authority Act, Sections 61-11B-1 through 61-11B-3 NMSA 1978 by providing minimum standards, terms and conditions for the certification, registration, practice, and supervision of pharmacist clinicians. These regulations are adopted pursuant to Section 61-11B-3 of the Pharmacist Prescriptive Authority Act.

B. Initial certification and registrants.

(1) The board may certify and register a pharmacist as a pharmacist clinician upon completion of an application for certification and satisfaction of the requirements set forth in these regulations.

(2) A pharmacist who applies for certification and registration as a pharmacist clinician shall complete application forms as required by the board and shall pay a fee. The fee shall be set by the board to defray the cost of processing the application, which fee is not returnable.

(3) To obtain initial certification and registration as a pharmacist clinician, she/he must submit the following:

(a) proof of completion of sixty (60) hour board approved physical assessment course, followed by a 150 hour, 300 patient contact preceptorship supervised by a physician or other practitioner with prescriptive authority, with hours counted only during direct patient interactions;

(b) the applicant will submit a log of patient encounters as part of the application;

(c) patient encounters must be initiated and completed within 2 years of the application;

(d) a pharmacist clinician requesting a controlled substance registration to prescribe controlled substance in Schedule II or Schedule III shall be trained in responsible opioid prescribing practices. Educational programs shall include an understanding of the pharmacology and risks of controlled substances, a basic awareness of the problems of abuse, addiction, and diversion, and awareness of the state and federal regulations of the prescribing of controlled substances.

(4) The board shall register each pharmacist certified as a pharmacist clinician.

(5) Upon certification and registration by the board, the name and address of the pharmacist clinician, (name of the supervising physician if applicable), and other pertinent information shall be enrolled by the board on a roster of pharmacist clinicians.

C. Biennial renewal of registration.

(1) Renewal applications shall be submitted prior to the license expiration.

(2) Applications for renewal must include:

(a) after January 1, 2013, documentation of continuing education hours, including proof of completion of 2.0 CEU twenty (20) contacthours of live CPE or continuing medical education (CME) approved by (ACPE) or AACME (live programs provided by other continuing education providers may be submitted for review and approval to the board), beyond the required hours in 16.19.4.10 NMAC (as amended), as required by the board; and;

(b) effective January 1, 2015, a pharmacist clinician with a controlled substance registration to prescribe controlled substances listed in Schedule II or Schedule III shall complete a minimum of 0.2 CEU (2 contact hours) per renewal period in the subject area of responsible opioid prescribing practices, and;

(c) a current protocol of collaborative practice signed by the supervising physician (if prescriptive authority is sought); and

(d) a copy of the pharmacist clinicians registration with the supervising physicians board (if prescriptive authority is sought); and

(e) other additional information as requested by the board.

D. Prescriptive authority, guidelines or protocol.

(1) Only a registered pharmacist clinician with current protocols, registered with the New Mexico medical board or the New Mexico board of osteopathic medical examiners, may exercise prescriptive authority.

(2) A pharmacist clinician seeking to exercise prescriptive authority shall submit an application to the board. The application must include the supervising physicians' name and current medical license, protocol of collaborative practice and other information requested by the board. A pharmacist may submit the application with the initial application for certification or as a separate application after becoming certified and registered as a pharmacist clinician.

(3) The protocol will be established and approved by the supervising physician as set forth in these regulations and will be kept on file at each practice site of the pharmacist clinician and with the board.

(4) The protocol must include:

(a) name of the physician(s) authorized to prescribe dangerous drugs and name of the pharmacist clinician;

(b) statement of the types of prescriptive authority decisions the pharmacist clinician is authorized to make, including, but not limited to:

(i) types of diseases, dangerous drugs or dangerous drug categories involved and the type of prescriptive authority authorized in each case;

(ii) ordering lab tests and other tests appropriate for monitoring of drug therapy;

(iii) procedures, decision criteria or plan the pharmacist clinician is to follow when exercising prescriptive authority;

(c) activities to be followed by the pharmacist clinician while exercising prescriptive authority, including documentation of feedback to the authorizing physician concerning specific decisions made; documentation may be made on the prescriptive record, patient profile, patient medical chart or in a separate log book;

(d) description of appropriate mechanisms for consulting with the supervising physician, including a quality assurance program for review of medical services provided by the pharmacist clinician, (this quality assurance program will be available for board review); and

(e) description of the scope of practice of the pharmacist clinician.

(5) Pharmacist clinicians shall not prescribe dangerous drugs including controlled substances for self-treatment or treatment of immediate family members, except under emergency situations. This will not apply to pharmacist administered vaccinations. Pharmacist clinicians shall not write a recommendation for the use of medical cannabis.

E. Scope of practice.

(1) A pharmacist clinician shall perform only those services that are delineated in the protocol and are within the scope of practice of the supervising physician and/or alternate supervising physician(s).

(2) A pharmacist clinician may practice in a health care institution within the policies of that institution.

(3) A pharmacist clinician may prescribe controlled substances provided that the pharmacist clinician:

(a) has obtained a New Mexico controlled substances registration and a drug enforcement agency registration, and

(b) prescribes controlled substances within the parameters of written guidelines or protocols established under these regulations and Section 3, A. of the Pharmacist Prescriptive Authority Act.

(4) The board may, in its discretion after investigation and evaluation, place limitations on the tasks a pharmacist clinician may perform under the authority and direction of a supervising physician and/or alternate supervising physician(s).

F. Collaborative professional relationship between pharmacist clinicians and supervising physician(s).

(1) The direction and supervision of pharmacist clinicians may be rendered by approved supervising physician/designated alternate supervising physician(s).

(2) This direction may be done by written protocol or by oral consultation. It is the responsibility of the supervising physician to assure that the appropriate directions are given and understood.

(3) The pharmacist clinician must have prompt access to consultation with the physician for advice and direction.

(4) Upon any change in supervising physician between registration renewals, a pharmacist clinician shall submit to the board, within ten (10) working days, the new supervising physician's name, current medical license, and protocol; notification to and completion of requirements for the supervising physicians' board shall be completed per that boards requirements. This notice requirement does not apply to an alternate supervising physician who is designated to cover during the absence of the supervising physician.

G. Complaints and appeals.

(1) The chair of the board will appoint two (2) members of the board, and the president of the supervising physician respective board will appoint (2) members of the respective board to the oversight committee; the oversight committee will review complaints concerning the pharmacist clinician practice; the oversight committee will make a report that may include non-binding recommendations to both the board and respective board(s) regarding disciplinary action. Each board can accept or reject the recommendations.

(2) Any applicant for certification or any pharmacist clinician may appeal a decision of the board in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Licensing Act, Sections 61-1-1 to 61-1-33 NMSA 1978.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 16.19.4.18

03-14-98; 16.19.4.18 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 19.4.18, 03-30-02; Reserved, 12-15-02 Amended, New Mexico Register, Volume XXV, Issue 16, August 29, 2014, eff. 9/7/2014