CSHP News

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

The following was sent to me as a member. As part of my recruitment

service I am passing this along to you so that you may see for

yourself what CSHP does for its members and how non-members benefit

as well.

" InfoSource August 29, 2008

CSHP is proud and excited to announce that the association closed

escrow on its new headquarters building this week. In this time of

economic instability, the CSHP leadership feels that this type of

investment will better suit the financial goals of the Society. The

building is located in downtown Sacramento within two blocks of the

Convention Center and four blocks from the State Capitol. " This

investment will allow us to grow in our advocacy for the profession

and build on our significant partnerships with other healthcare

practitioners interested in furthering our mission " stated CSHP Chair

of the Board Alan Endo. As CSHP has been a renter for close to 20

years, this is a very exciting transition time for everyone as CSHP

takes on its new role as a landowner. More information will be

available at Seminar, including photos, in the CSHP Theme Center in

the exhibit hall. All contact information for office staff remains

the same as the move-in date is still undetermined and depends on

space construction.

Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy

URGENT: MUST READ - New Proposed Regulations will Impact Pharmacies

that Compound Sterile Injectable Products

The California Board of Pharmacy announced that they have officially

opened a rulemaking file to increase requirements for ALL pharmacies

that compound products. The board is proposing to expand the

requirements for all pharmacies that compound drug products. Some

changes will include additional labeling requirements with regard to

requiring that labeling must include a statement that the product was

compounded by the pharmacy, pharmacy reference number or lot number,

and Chemotherapy labeling must include 'Chemotherapy - Dispose of

Properly.' Furthermore, pharmacy logs must include date, personnel,

each ingredient (drug, dose, manufacturer and lot #), equipment used,

pharmacy reference or lot number, expiration date, quantity, etc. for

each compounded product. These proposed regulations will have a

significant impact on your practice! CSHP has asked for an exemption

of logging and pharmacy lot number assignment/labeling for

those " immediate use " products as defined by USP. These products are

needed urgently and there is a potential for delay with the

additional record keeping requirements with no benefit to patient

safety. To view the proposed regulations, click here. If you have

specific comments or concerns with the proposed regulations, please

email your comments to Government Affairs Consultant Philip Swanger

at philip@....

Tamper Resistant Prescription Pads for Pharmacists

Starting on October 1, 2008, in order for Medicaid outpatient drugs

to be reimbursable by the federal government, all written, non-

electronic prescriptions must contain at least three tamper-resistant

features, one from each of the three baseline characteristics

outlined in guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

Services (CMS) on August 17, 2007 in a letter to State Medicaid

Directors. This is the second and final phase of implementation of

the tamper resistant prescription policy. Pharmacies will be required

to verify that the Medicaid prescriptions they fill are in compliance

with the State and Federal requirements.

Although CMS has outlined three baseline characteristics of tamper-

resistant prescriptions, each State will define which features it

will require to meet those characteristics in order to be considered

tamper-resistant. The baseline characteristics must: (1) prevent

unauthorized copying of a completed or blank prescription form; (2)

prevent the erasure or modification of information written on the

prescription by the prescriber; or (3) prevent the use of counterfeit

prescription forms. As of April 1, 2008, States were to require that

impacted prescriptions contain at least one of these baseline

requirements. By October 1, 2008, States must require that impacted

prescriptions contain all three characteristics in order to be

considered tamper-resistant.

It is important that you work with your State Medicaid Agency to

ensure you understand the requirements.

You can find additional information on this provision at

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DeficitReductionAct/30_GovtInfo.asp.

Please note the new information with respect to computer-generated

prescriptions in the Frequently Asked Questions.

Curious What CSHP is Doing to Represent You in Legislative and

Regulatory Arenas?

To view the most up-to-date information regarding CSHP's government

advocacy programs, tracked legislation, regulatory and federal news;

click here to view the most recent issue of Capitol Notes.

Seminar

Early Bird Registration for Seminar 2008

The last day to take advantage of your Early Bird Registration

discount is August 31! To register for Seminar click here.

Disneyland Hotel Room Availability

To book your room at the Disneyland Hotel, call (714) 520-5005. If

you are told by the Disneyland hotel that our room block is full,

please contact Caithlin Wood, Seminar Coordinator, at (916) 447-1033

ext. 107 or email cat@.... We are working with the hotel to

increase our room block in the event we require more space. CSHP

Research & Education Foundation Fundraisers

The Seminar 2008 Silent Auction and Golf Tournament will be held to

benefit the CSHP Research and Education Foundation with a portion of

the auction funds being donated to the ph H. Beckerman Memorial

Scholarship Fund.

For more information on the Silent Auction or Golf Tournament please

visit the Seminar Website. "

This is more to this InforSource, but it is definitely for members

only as they are benefits and events related.

May I invite you to join CSHP California Society of Health Systems

Pharmacists (there is a tech division).

Nexr convention is at Disneyland, Anaheim CA Thursday October 9,

2008 to Sunday October 12, 2008.

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Pharm Tech Educator

Founder/Owner