Pharmacists Gain Expanded Health Care Role in Idaho
Boise- Pharmacists in Idaho can now prescribe FDA approved smoking cessation products. Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter signed House Bill 4 into law on Feb. 16th with Idaho State University College of Pharmacy Assistant Dean Kevin Cleveland, Idaho Board of Pharmacy Executive Director/ISU Adjunct Faculty Alex Adams and others in attendance.
There are some conditions that come with this expanded role:
- The pharmacist must successfully complete an approved course on tobacco cessation therapy.
- The patient must go through a screening procedure based on clinical guidelines.
- Prescription and screening are to be documented, a follow-up care plan is to be developed, notification is to be sent to the patient's primary care provider and the pharmacist is to recommend additional assistance such as the Idaho QuitLine.
Also signed into law, House Bill 3 allows Idaho pharmacists to administer and interpret tuberculosis skin tests once they have received appropriate training. The ISU College of Pharmacy is excited about this expanded scope of practice and is in the process of preparing the necessary training for its students. A separate bill is also before the Idaho Legislature this year that would allow the Idaho Board of Pharmacy to designate additional products that pharmacists may prescribe by rule in the future.
In addition to the ISU College of Pharmacy, there are several other indivuals and organizations who played vital roles in expanding the definition of pharmacy practice in Idaho: the Idaho Society of Health System Pharmacists, the idaho Society of Pharmacists, the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy and Idaho Representative and pharmacist Sue Chew.
Written by: Jake Dixon
