HB553 Summary

• Amends Section 34-23-74 of the Alabama Code to allow prescription drugs to be stored and dispensed in automated pharmacy systems at nursing homes under supervision of a licensed pharmacist who may be located at an off-site pharmacy.

• Requires drugs to be dispensed in individual sealed containers for each patient and establishes a "coordinating pharmacy" responsible for overseeing remote dispensing sites within nursing homes via electronic or computer systems.

• Mandates comprehensive security, storage, and operational standards for automated pharmacy systems, including restricted access, tamper-evident containers, bar-coding or microchip verification, and regular system testing at minimum every six months.

• Specifies that coordinating pharmacies must maintain written policies and procedures covering system operation, supervision, drug procurement, delivery verification, recordkeeping, inventory management, and recovery procedures for system failures.

• Removes the term "skilled" from nursing home terminology to conform to existing law and establishes that the State Board of Pharmacy may adopt additional regulations for automated pharmacy system use.