Pharmacy Boards and Case Management Tech
June 02, 2020 by Lisa Sigler
Pharmacy boards are charged with promoting, preserving, and protecting public health by overseeing pharmaceutical care. As states have changed regulations in order to deal with the opioid crisis, these boards have more responsibility than ever. Case management technology can help pharmacy boards as their mission gets more complex.
Pharmacy Boards and the Opioid Crisis
Pharmacy boards have a key role to play in the battle against opioid misuse. As federal and state officials attempt to stem this problem, the regulations and requirements regarding controlled substances have been rapidly changing. Pharmacy boards are often responsible for overseeing these new requirements, including violation provisions. It is hard to remain up to date on current guidelines and handle the administration of processes and penalties.
The escalation of the opioid crisis is not the only thing these boards have to contend with. Many are also dealing with rapid changes in licensure and operational procedures. States are attempting to regulate virtual and intermediary entities, establishing new rules on compounding pharmacies and updating rules on reporting and notifications. Multiple states, including Kansas and Oklahoma, have strengthened and clarified their requirements for pharmacies and pharmacists-in-charge to notify the state of certain events, including disciplinary actions in other jurisdictions; actual or suspected diversion of controlled substances; pharmacy closures; and operational events. All of these changes stretch their resources as they attempt to administer the new rules.
The Use of Case Management Technology
Case management technology may be the answer for helping pharmacy boards manage their many changing responsibilities. Now, it is likely that many board members would not consider their work to be “case work.” However, most government work is actually case work. Consider that according to Gartner, “Case management solutions are applications designed to support a complex process that requires a combination of human tasks and electronic workflow.” Put another way, case management is all about:
- The right information
- In the hands of the right people
- At the right time
- So they can make the right decisions
- To drive the right outcomes
Pharmacy boards are required to capture, track, and report on specific information about the pharmaceuticals, pharmacists, and pharmacies they oversee. The efforts to stem the abuse of opioids require even more tracking and reporting. They are also responsible for licensure and penalties — and making the right decisions on both of those issues. Violations can be wide-ranging, from forging prescriptions to working with an expired license, and everything in between.
A case management solution can help a pharmacy board capture, track, and administer all of these moving parts. It automates tedious administrative processes, so board members can turn their attention to tasks that support the health of their communities.
Streamlined and Secure Pharmacy Board Processes
Pharmacy Boards have a responsibility to safeguard the people in their communities. They must support and regulate the pharmacists under their jurisdiction, and they must look out for the public. The opioid crisis stretches their limited resources even thinner. Implementing modern technology is one way to handle all of their tasks efficiently while keeping people healthy and safe.