Legislature(2015 - 2016)BARNES 124
04/15/2015 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB12 | |
| HB159 | |
| HB185 | |
| SB71 | |
| SB47 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 47 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 71 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 159 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 185 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 71-VACCINE CERTIFICATION FOR PHARMACISTS
5:15:52 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced that the final order of business would be
SENATE BILL NO. 71, "An Act relating to the practice of
pharmacy; and relating to the administration of vaccines and
related emergency medications."
5:16:16 PM
JANE CONWAY, Staff, Senator Cathy Giessel, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of the prime sponsor, Senator Cathy
Giessel, stated that SB 71 would allow Alaska pharmacists to
administer all vaccines without a collaborative practice
agreement. Since 2001, Alaska pharmacists have required
oversight by medical doctor or a nurse practitioner to
administer vaccines. These oversight practice agreements cost
$50-500 annually for pharmacists depending on the agreement with
the oversight physician or nurse practitioner. The oversight
amounts to the physician or nurse practitioner overseeing the
immunization records.
5:17:28 PM
MS. CONWAY offered that some pharmacies have difficulty finding
a collaborative medical doctor or nurse practitioner and this
hurdle reduces access to needed vaccines to the public. This
bill, SB 71 will give already educated and certified pharmacists
the authority to immunize Alaskan adults and children without
having to contract with often hard to find an overseeing
physician or nurse practitioner.
MS. CONWAY explained that the appropriate clinical procedure for
vaccine administration is part of the course work for a pharmacy
doctorate degree, which has been the case since 2005. The level
of entry into the pharmacist position is a doctorate or PhD of
pharmacology. Under the bill, pharmacists educated prior to
2005 are required to immunization education program outlined by
the Board of Pharmacy.
5:19:23 PM
SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, Alaska State Legislature, stated that the
Board of Pharmacy would provide a vaccine administration
program. The pharmacists already understand the vaccines,
including the pharmacology and side effects, but they would be
polishing their skills on the administration. Their education
already includes the drug therapy, dosing, and adverse events.
How to respond to adverse events was a question raised in the
other committees. When she prescribes she often asks
pharmacists for information since they know the drugs and are
definitely qualified [to administer vaccines]. In addition,
this bill would help rural communities since people often have
more interaction with their pharmacists than they do their
health care providers. Many states already authorize this and
have experienced higher immunization rates, which Alaska could
benefit from.
5:20:54 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL explained that the statewide database
"vacstracks" was used to track vaccines. Pharmacists would be
required to enter the vaccine data, which is accessible to all
health care providers in the state. In 2013, pharmacists
administered over 13,000 flu vaccines. This bill could
definitely make more vaccines available through these
pharmacists and pharmacies.
5:21:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX asked whether pharmacists currently
required to enter data into the statewide database.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered yes.
5:21:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES related her understanding that they are
trained on dosages. She asked whether pharmacists are also
trained in administering them.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered that pharmacists from 2005 forward have
been educated in the administration of vaccines. Those
pharmacists educated prior to 2005 will be required to take the
vaccine administration course that the Board of Pharmacy
approves.
5:22:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES asked whether taking patient's medical
history was part of process since she did not think of
pharmacists as taking medical history.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered that currently for flu vaccines citizen
fills out a form citing medications they currently take, any
allergies to medications, and any chronic conditions they may
have. The same requirements would happen with other vaccines
administered.
5:23:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES wondered if this might lower the cost of
administration of vaccines.
SENATOR GIESSEL was unsure. Certainly, that would be the goal
and it will reduce the cost for the individual professionals who
administer the vaccines. Currently, it can take 6-12 months for
collaborative agreements to be solidified.
5:23:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX asked for further clarification that
administering means actually giving the shots.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered yes.
5:24:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX said she really likes this bill. She
wondered whether it might be possible in the future to allow
pharmacists some limited powers to prescribe drugs. She has
experienced picking up prescription drugs such as antibiotics in
other countries.
SENATOR GIESSEL replied that it would require changes in the
pharmacists' educational program to perform diagnosis. She said
that the state insurance program has nurse advice lines for
patients to receive advice.
5:25:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON asked whether the footprint of
pharmacies would need to change.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered that pharmacists currently administer
vaccines so they already have the facilities.
5:26:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KITO related his understanding rural Alaska
experiences problems obtaining oversight agreements. He asked
whether other circumstances exist in which doctors or
pharmacists are having difficulties in putting together
agreements.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered that she was not certain and deferred
to the pharmacists to respond.
5:27:04 PM
BARRY CHRISTENSEN, Co-Chair, Alaska Pharmacists Association,
stated the Alaska Pharmacists Association membership consists of
pharmacists, pharmacies, and pharmacy technicians. The
association fully supports this bill, which he characterized as
a "win-win-win" such that it will ensure that pharmacists who
are currently immunizing can continue to do so. It would also
open up open up immunizations to pharmacists who have had
difficulty obtaining a partner for a collaborative practice
agreement. Further, it would open up access to patients for
immunizations. Finally, it's a "win" for employers since this
will keep people healthier. The Center for Disease Control has
reported that every dollar spent on immunization will save $10
in overall health care costs. This bill has support from "mom
pop" pharmacies to chain pharmacies.
5:28:58 PM
LIS HOUCHEN, Counsel, NW Regional Director, National Association
of Chain Drugstores (NACD) stated that she represents chain drug
stores in the Northwest region, including Costco, Genoa Health
Care, Good neighbor Health Mart, Carrs-Safeway, Target,
Walgreen, and Walmart. She thanked members for hearing this
important bill to allow pharmacists to independently prescribe
and administer immunizations in Alaska. She said that Senator
Giessel mentioned that the state was not doing as good a job as
it could. In 2012, only 1.2 percent of Alaskans were immunized
for influenza flu, which ranked as 49th in the nation.
MS. HOUCHEN said that the organization was encouraged by SB 71
since many additional needed vaccines will be administered in
local villages by pharmacists to patients and families that may
otherwise go without being immunized.
5:30:33 PM
CHAIR OLSON commented that he gets his flu shots at the
pharmacy.
5:31:36 PM
RYAN RUGGLES, Pharmacist, Carrs-Safeway, stated that he works as
a pharmacist and he currently administers vaccines. He offered
strong support for SB 71, which all comes down to patient
access. Although Carrs-Safeway stores has a collaborative
practice provider that they regularly use, but if the provider
is traveling or unavailable, it can take time to find a
substitute. Sometimes the pharmacists simply waits for the
collaborative practice provider to return.
5:32:56 PM
CHAIR OLSON, after first determining no one wished to testify,
closed public testimony on SB 71.
5:33:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COLVER remarked that this was an excellent bill.
He stated that this can help combat health care costs. He
offered his belief that it was common in other countries to have
a streamlined process to administer vaccines. Further, a number
of people already obtain their immunizations from their
neighborhood pharmacies.
5:33:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES acknowledged that pharmacists eager to get
in place. She asked whether nurse practitioners and physicians
support this concept.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered that there has not been any opposition
to the bill.
5:34:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES moved to report SB 71 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being no objection, SB 71 was reported from the
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
The committee took a brief at ease.