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NPI LOOK-UP NOW AVAILABLE The searchable NPI database is now available at www.nppes.cms.hhs.gov . It is possible to search the NPI numbers for Individual Providers and Organizational Providers. Click the Search the NPI Registry link (on the left side of the page) and select the provider type. The site allows you to search by name, address, and zip code.
Online License Renewal New Jersey licensed pharmacists can now complete the license renewal process online, using the Web site: https://newjersey.mylicense.com and the appropriate username and pass-word. Licensees will receive a letter from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs including complete instructions for online renewal and a username (your license number) and password (an eight-digit license code). The deadline for biennial license renewal is April 30, 2007.Please remember that all licensees must meet the requirements for continuing education (CE) by April 30,2007.CE credits as listed in New Jersey Administrative Code (NJAC)13:39-3A.1,must total at least 30 hours obtained between May 1,2005 and April 30,2007, and must include at least three hours of CE credit in pharmacy law. At least 10 hours of the 30 hours must be live or didactic CE credit. Up to 10 credits may be carried over from the last six months of the preceding biennial period if they were not previously reported. All CE credits must be certified by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education or the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy. Please note that beginning with the current license renewal process, all licensees registered in New Jersey will be required to complete a criminal background check and be fingerprinted, whether they practice in New Jersey or another state. After license renewal is completed,licensees will receive a letter from the Board with instructions detailing cost, location, and deadline for completing this process. Telemedicine Prescriptions The New Jersey Board of Pharmacy was recently asked to consider a proposal that would involve the generation of electronic prescriptions, including those for Schedule III-V controlled dangerous substances, from prescribers employed by a telemedicine company. For the patient, this process involves the use of an Internet Web site questionnaire and/or telephone consultation to complete an initial medical history and assessment. The remote physician/prescriber then reviews this history and speaks to the patient by telephone prior to generating the electronic prescription. Pharmacists should be aware that the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy considers such practices to violate the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners definition of “doctor-patient relationship,” thereby rendering suchprescriptions invalid. NJAC 13:35-7.1A mandates that the physician examine the patient and properly document the results of the examination in the patient ’s medical record prior to issuing a prescription. NJAC 13:35-7.1A(a)1 states that the physician must “perform an appropriate history and physical examination.” Exceptions not requiring this initial physical examination are outlined in NJAC 13:35-7.1A(b)and include newly hospitalized patients, the prescriber ’s “established ” patients,short-termprescription renewals for a new patient prior to that patient ’s first visit, emergency medical conditions, or patients regularly treatedby a physician colleague (a physician in collaborative practice or an “on-call ” physician). NJAC 13:35-7.4A(a)defines a valid electronic prescription, and states that “a practitioner, acting within his or her Scope of lawful practice and after an examination of the patient ’s condition, as defined in NJAC 13:35-7.1 ,may transmit,or have an authorized agent transmit, an electronic prescription to a pharmacy which has been approved by a patient, a patient ’s guardian, or a patient ’s authorized representative, consistent with the requirements of this section.” Physician Assistants and DEA Numbers New Jersey law does not require physician assistants to have a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) number unless they write prescriptions for controlled dangerous substances. If a pharmacy needs a DEA number in order to adjudicate a claim for a prescrip-tion,the pharmacy must contact the collaborating physician for a verbal, fax, or written prescription in order to properly process and label the prescription. IMPORTANT PSEUDOEPHEDIRINE INFORMATION On March 9,2006, President Bush signed into law the USA Patriot Act, Title VII of which is the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005. The Title VII requirements governing the retail sale of all cough and cold products that contain the methamphetamine precursor chemicals ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine, collectively referred to here as PSE of PSE products for simplicity. Click the link below for an updated summary of the new regulations on these products. Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 For more detailed information
HIPAA SECURITY RULE: Effective April 20, 2005 A new HIPAA Security Rile is going into effect April 20, 2005. Its primary focus is accounting for, and the security of, electronic transmissions. This rules specifically mandates that pharmacies must control the "availability, confidentiality and integrity of protect health information (PHI)". Pharmacists must understand how their computer systems work, where electronic files are stored and what information is being sent off the pharmacy premises and to whom. Please check with you software provider to verify that they are in compliance with this new Security Rule. IPA is evaluating manual/CD programs for competitive pricing to assist you with these new HIPAA regulations.
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