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Minutes for HB2082 - Committee on Health and Human Services
Short Title
Allowing pharmacists to administer drugs pursuant to a prescription order.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 6, 2019
Julie Hein in her testimony stated the views of the Kansas Pharmacists Association and Kansas Association of Chain Drug Stores were in support of HB2082. The organizations feel their members are highly educated, well trained and provide patients important care services, including medication administration services. This bill extends this to injecting medications that are meant to be self injected. This benefits people with special needs related to mental illness, visually impaired, disabled, or persons having difficulty self injecting. 40 other states across the country allow this service (Attachment 1).
Kristen Powell stated she is a pharmacist and site manager for Genoa Healthcare which operates 12 pharmacies in Kansas, all of which are located with community mental health centers. Over 90% of her clients are on some type of public assistance. Medication adherence is important within the mental health population. It was explained that a one-day gap in therapy increases the chance of hospitalization by 50 percent. The bill would help patients stay on their medications by making it more convenient for them to receive them (Attachment 2).
Ms. Powell fielded questions from the committee
Dared Price says his primary foci are patient prescription accuracy and adherence or compliance of medications prescribed. He provided samples for the committee to view. The biggest impact would concern patients from mental health clinics (Attachment 3).
Dr. Jill Reynoldson stated that pharmacists are the experts on medications and administering them. The focus of her testimony related to the need for one-to-one contact with psychiatric patients. These patients are often fearful of injections and the pharmacist establishes a rapport with the patient and eases their fears. This relationship eases the stigma related to medications for psychiatric patients. Not having to make an appointment with a physician reduces the traumatic effect of taking the medications (Attachment 4).
Jim Backes, as the Associate Dean of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, stated that he had 3 major points to make in support of HB2082: The pharmacists are fully trained and well-equipped to administer medications; The state of Kansas and the School of Pharmacy are losing talent because of the limited scope of practice allowed by the state; and most importantly, allowing pharmacists to administer medications is simply the right thing to do. Mr. Backes sited the University of Kansas SOP and the training the pharmacists receive (Attachment 5).
Mr. Backes fielded questions from the committee
Alexandra Blasi stated that the Board of Pharmacy strongly supports this bill. The Board is also willing to take over any oversight related to these new procedures. Additional training, such as CPR certification, may be required. The Board has the authority to adopt regulations to carry out the Pharmacy Practice Act (Attachment 6).
Ms. Blasi fielded questions from the committee.
Linda French explained her circumstance related to her reluctance to administer medication for her arthritis. She would much rather ask her local pharmacist to administer her shot. The convenience of not having to drive 45-50 minutes to see her doctor would make her life easier. Also her doctor is only there Monday through Friday. Pharmacists are usually open seven days a week. Mrs. French strongly supports HB2082 (Attachment 7).
Written Only testimony in support of HB2082 was also provided:
Aaron Dunkel, Kansas Pharmacists Association (Attachment 8)
Amanda Applegate, Pharmacy Clinical Services Coordinator, Ball Food (Attachment 9)
Emily Prohaska, Pharmacy Clinical Services Coordinator, Ball Food (Attachment 10)
Christina Crowley, Kansas Council of Health System Pharmacy (Attachment 11)
Liz Houchen, National Association of Chain Drug Stores (Attachment 12)
Peter Stern, CEO, Currus, Inc (Attachment 13)
Mary Beth Seipel (Attachment 14)
Katie Dollar (Attachment 15)
