Shaanxi Province will implement remote service instead of licensed pharmacists

From August 22 to September 16, Shaanxi Province has implemented remote service instead of on-the-job licensed pharmacists in stores. All licensed pharmacists do not need to register in physical stores. They are all registered in chain headquarters and carry out remote service, which is equivalent to on-the-job performance of licensed pharmacists. On August 20, Shaanxi Pharmaceutical Regulatory Bureau issued Guidelines for the Construction of Distance Service Center for Licensed Pharmacists in Shaanxi Pharmaceutical Retail Chain Enterprises (hereinafter referred to as "Opinions") to encourage drugs of a certain scale. Social organizations such as retail chain enterprises and drug retail enterprises'trade associations have established licensed pharmacists' remote service centers to standardize the work of prescription review and rational drug use guidance.

Opinion points out that, "For drug retail chain enterprises that carry out teleservice for licensed pharmacists, licensed pharmacists in their stores are registered uniformly at headquarters and conduct tele reviews within business hours, and their stores are regarded as having deployed licensed pharmacists and performing their duties on duty."

It also means that physical stores do not need to register licensed pharmacists, all of them are registered in chain headquarters, and the chain headquarters uniformly implements remote pharmacy services. In addition, the policy of Shaanxi Province also differs in the allocation of remote service personnel. Although the stores do not need registered licensed pharmacists, the proportion of licensed pharmacists in remote service is very high.

The Opinion requires that "there are no less than 30 stores in the tele-licensed pharmacist service center, 30% of the Tele-service pharmacists in less than 100 chain stores, and at least one licensed pharmacist in every 10 additional retail chain stores with more than 100 stores. The number of Chinese herbal pharmacists is not less than 20% of the total number of licensed pharmacists. Distance pharmacy must be online during business hours. Although physical stores do not need licensed pharmacists, they must be familiar with the use of remote service system. The Opinion mentions that "shop assistants are familiar with the use of remote service systems, and can actively guide and assist the masses in the correct use of remote service systems." 

In addition, Opinion emphasizes that "teleservice licensed pharmacists specialize in remote store prescription auditing and drug guidance services". At the same time, licensed pharmacists working at headquarters should meet the following requirements.

Firstly, licensed pharmacists engaged in remote services are registered at the drug retail chain headquarters and the licensed pharmacists registration certificate, contact information and fingerprint information are kept in the remote service system to ensure the uniqueness of the remote licensed pharmacists'login.

Second, the working hours of licensed pharmacists in tele-licensed pharmacist service center are synchronized with the business hours of stores to ensure on-the-job performance. The shift system is implemented to ensure that licensed pharmacists are on duty during business hours, to provide prescription reviews and guidance for consumers on rational drug use, and mobile terminals are not available for online service.

Third, the number of on-the-job licensed pharmacists is scientifically allocated by the tele-licensed pharmacist service center according to whether or not the peak value of business, and the waiting time for retail stores to request the service response of licensed pharmacists is not more than 2 minutes.

Fourth, the remote licensed pharmacist service center establishes attendance system and attendance equipment, the remote licensed pharmacist Service Center practises fingerprint card swiping or attendance through face recognition system, and the attendance situation is uploaded to a dedicated server for encryption and archiving, and can not be modified.

Fifth, licensed pharmacists who undertake remote service work also undertake the responsibility of drug quality management, and regularly or irregularly inspect and inspect the implementation of drug quality in corresponding stores.

Sixth, licensed pharmacists engaged in remote services are on-the-job, conscientiously fulfilling their duties, and carrying out pharmacist services in accordance with the procedures of inquiring medical history, reviewing prescriptions and guiding rational drug use. Licensed pharmacists temporarily off-duty personnel handle handover procedures and record them in time, and other licensed pharmacists can be arranged for telepharmacy services.