BestRx continues to stay up to date on all pharmacy regulations – at both the national and state levels. Over the years, we have expanded our software capabilities to help independent pharmacies quickly adapt and adhere to new regulations as they arise. We’re making these updates proactively, evolving with our customers. This way we can continue to arm them with the tools needed to operate more efficiently.

Over the last month, we rolled out several software updates that address new state-specific requirements that went into effect in July. This includes functionality to support California’s new automatic refill law and the Positive ID requirement in Ohio. Here’s what’s changed for pharmacies in these states, and how BestRx has responded: 

California’s New Auto-Refill Requirements

As of July 1, California requires its pharmacies to obtain consent for every new prescription. This means automatic refills are no longer permitted without the patient’s consent. Under the new law, pharmacies now need to take additional steps to confirm a patient wants to participate in an auto refill program, including: 

     • Checking whether the patient wants to continue to receive automatic refills (for each prescription) annually.

     • Permitting patients to stop auto-refills on a prescription (or opt out of the program entirely) at any time.  

Understanding the impact these requirements would have on the pharmacy, we implemented a software update that ensures the pharmacy remains compliant, while minimizing the impact the additional steps have on their workflow.

Ohio’s New Positive ID Requirement

Starting on June 30, Ohio pharmacies must capture positive identification of the pharmacist, technician or intern that are entering prescription information into their record keeping system. This includes any changes made to a script. Additionally, pharmacies will need to maintain a daily record, which details who completed each step within the prescription workflow. From there, the records must be retained for three years. 

To help Ohio pharmacies satisfy this requirement, BestRx now has the ability to easily generate a Positive ID report at the end of each day. The pharmacy staff can use the report to view activities performed throughout the day. Once reviewed, the employees can sign the report, validating its accuracy. Then, the report can simply be filed in case of an audit.

“BestRx has seen firsthand, how challenging adapting to new requirements can be for independent pharmacies,” says Hemal Desai, President of BestRx. “We will continue to develop solutions that enable our customers to remain compliant as new regulations are implemented, while minimizing the impact on their daily workflow.”  

In addition to these enhancements, we have also begun preparing for PDMP updates in several states. By staying informed on changes impacting industry and proactively developing new solutions, we are evolving with our customers. This way we can best support their needs now, and in the future.

Schedule a free demo to discover all the ways BestRx can makes staying compliant easy.