Patient Counseling; Optimizing Drug Therapy

  1. Law
  2. Georgia Code
  3. Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics
  4. Pharmacists and Pharmacies
  5. Prescription Drugs
  6. Patient Counseling; Optimizing Drug Therapy

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  1. The board of pharmacy may refuse to renew or may suspend, revoke, or restrict the licenses of or fine any person or pharmacy pursuant to the procedures set forth in this Code section upon the failure to offer to counsel patients.
  2. Upon receipt of a prescription drug order and following a review of the patient's record, the pharmacist or the pharmacy intern operating under the direct supervision of the pharmacist shall personally offer to discuss matters which will enhance or optimize drug therapy with each patient or caregiver of such a patient. Such discussion shall be in person, whenever practicable, or by telephone and shall include appropriate elements of patient counseling, based on the professional judgment of the pharmacist. Such elements may include but are not limited to the following:
    1. The name and description of the drug;
    2. The dosage form, dose, route of administration and duration of therapy;
    3. The intended use of the drug and expected action or result;
    4. Any special directions or precautions for preparation, administration, or use by the patient;
    5. Common severe side effects or adverse effects or interactions and therapeutic contraindications that may be encountered, including their avoidance, and the action required if such side effect, adverse effect, interaction, or therapeutic contraindication occurs;
    6. Techniques for self-monitoring of drug therapy;
    7. The proper storage of the drug;
    8. Prescription refill information;
    9. The action to be taken in the event of a missed dose; and
    10. The comments of the pharmacist relevant to the patient's drug therapy, including any other information peculiar to the specific patient or drug.
  3. Additional forms of patient information may be used to supplement verbal patient counseling when appropriate or available.
  4. Patient counseling, as described in this Code section, shall not be required for:
    1. In-patients of a hospital or institution where other health care professionals are authorized to administer the drug or drugs;
    2. Inmates of corrections institutions where pharmacy services are provided by the Department of Corrections or by a county or municipal political subdivision either directly or by a subcontractor of the above; or
    3. Patients receiving drugs from the Department of Public Health; provided, however, that pharmacists who provide drugs to patients in accordance with Code Section 43-34-23 shall include in all dispensing procedures a written process whereby the patient or the caregiver of the patient is provided with the information required under this Code section.
  5. A pharmacist shall not be required to counsel a patient or the caregiver of the patient when the patient or the caregiver of the patient refuses such consultation or counseling.

(Code 1981, §26-4-85, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 686, § 1; Ga. L. 2007, p. 229, § 3/HB 330; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 1-4/HB 228; Ga. L. 2009, p. 859, § 7/HB 509; Ga. L. 2011, p. 705, § 5-7/HB 214.)

Code Commission notes.

- Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1998, a comma was inserted following "administration" in paragraph (b)(4) and "taken" was substituted for "take" in paragraph (b)(9).

Law reviews.

- For article on the 2011 amendment of this Code section, see 28 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 147 (2011).


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