Newsletter

July 2008
South Dakota State Board of Pharmacy
4305 S Louise Ave, Suite 104, Sioux Falls, SD 57106

NEW REGISTERED PHARMACISTS
The following candidates recently met licensure requirements and were registered as pharmacists in South Dakota:  Danica Andela, Thomas Babb, Kelley Barber, Craig Beers, Lori Braaten, Jordon Breuer, Lindsey Brown, Shannon Cameron, Anne Chmura, Scott Crouse, Deanna Daum, Kristin Dvorak, Sara Fowler, Andrea Fuhrer, Tanya Gruntmeir, Rhonda Hammerquist, Gretchen Hinders, Sara Hoffman-Hicks, Nicole Musfelt, Daniel Peterson, Bradley Saathoff, Emily Sass, Melissa Schulte, Sandya Suri, Matthew Toennies, Trae Turner, Deanna Visser, John Walz, and Nicole Welch.

PHARMACY LICENSES
New pharmacy licenses were recently issued to Kristin Goehring, Goehring Pharmacy, Inc., dba Deuel County Pharmacy, Clear Lake (change of ownership); Jennifer Drexler, Cigna Tel-Drug, Sioux Falls; and Robert Lubke, Lewis Drug, Inc., dba Lewis Drug #13, Tea.

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
Deena Leavens (4493), Janesville, WI - Six (6) months suspension.
Janet McGowan (R-4571), Sioux Falls, SD – Three (3) years probation.
Rodney Paul (R-4431), Brandon, SD – Five (5) years probation.

PHARMACY WORKFORCE FACTS
As of May 15 there were 229 pharmacies in South Dakota operating with full-time permits.  Counties with the most full-time pharmacies are: Minnehaha (57) and Pennington (23).  Currently 898 pharmacists are employed in South Dakota.  Cities with the most pharmacists working are: Sioux Falls (363) and Rapid City (97).  These totals do not include federal pharmacies (i.e. VA, IHS) and some of the pharmacists employed in those pharmacies.            

CHANGE OF EMPLOYMENT
Board staff continues to find examples of pharmacists, technicians and interns who do not have correct contact addresses or employment information updated with the Board of Pharmacy.  Notification of these changes is required for all individuals licensed or registered with the Board of Pharmacy.  Both the employee and the employer are required to notify the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy of any change in employment status.

VALID HARD COPY PRESCRIPTIONS
Compliance Note:  Prescriptions (controlled or non-controlled) must have a manually signed signature of the prescriber on the prescription for it to be valid.  If a patient arrives in your pharmacy with a rubber-stamped signature, it is not valid and must be verified prior to dispensing.

PHARMACISTS – BANK CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS
Pharmacist license renewal time will be here sooner than you think.  To avoid a last-minute panic finding continuing education certificates, you can accumulate and enter the hours on the board’s renewal site. 

To log in use the same method as renewing your license:

  1. Access the Board web site at www.pharmacy.sd.gov (new web address)
  2. Click on the “Pharmacists” button on the right
  3. Click on - Online Renewal/Bank CE
  4. The log-in name is letters “nspharm” plus your 4-digit license number.  (Do not use the “R” if you have one in your license number).  
  5. The password is the letters “nspharm” and the last four digits of your SSN.
  6. You will have the option of changing your password if you wish.
  7. You can update any personal or employment information.  The phone number requires you to use dashes.  The dates should be in MM/DD/YYYY format.  If a required field is left blank you will get an error message to complete that field. 
  8. Click the continue button to go to the CE page.
  9. Enter each CE program, the date, and the year that you want it used and then click “apply”.  (For the upcoming renewal you would use 2008.)  The program will automatically add them for you.  If you have surplus hours you can enter them and use anything earned between 9/30/07 and 10/1/09 for the 2009-2010 licensing year.

The SD Pharmacists Association also offers a CE Bank on their web site www.sdpha.org as a means of managing your hours (these hours would need to be re-entered on the board site at renewal time).

REMINDER TO PRECEPTORS
One of the very important services that many pharmacists provide is serving as preceptors to pharmacy interns and externs.  Make sure that you take the time and effort to provide a good learning experience to your interns/externs.   Please assist them by making sure that the required forms are completed and submitted to the Board.  The Practical Experience Application/Affidavit is to be sent at the beginning and the Progress Report of Internship to be sent promptly at the end of the period.  Encourage your interns/externs to keep copies for their own records.

PROPER DISPOSAL OF PRESCRPTION DRUGS
All of us are becoming more aware of diversion and environmental issues related to the disposal of prescription drugs. The following guidelines were issued by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Environmental Protection Agency.  These are useful suggestions to provide to your patients.

BE READY FOR YOUR INSPECTION
We know that pharmacists are extremely busy trying to keep up with the day-to-day demands of serving the medication needs of your customers. Spending time with the Board of Pharmacy Inspector during the annual inspection can be a good use of your time if you are prepared for the inspection visit.  Often inspectors arrive at a pharmacy to conduct an inspection and find that the pharmacy (Pharmacist-in-Charge) is simply unprepared.  Your pharmacy will receive pre-inspection instructions prior to the inspection.  The PIC is responsible to have the appropriate paperwork completed and be ready to produce all of the documents and records necessary to demonstrate compliance.  Some of the common problems are:  lack of policies and procedures for use of technicians and documentation of technician training (see ARSD 20:51:29:16) and poorly organized controlled drug records. 

BOARD OF PHARMACY STAFF DIRECTORY
Office Phone    605-362-2737             FAX    605-362-2738
Ron Huether, Executive Secretary      ronald.huether@state.sd.us
Rene Hixon, Senior Secretary             rene.hixon@state.sd.us
Kim Kocmick-Burden, Secretary         kimberly.kocmick-burden@state.sd.us
Earl McKinstry, Pharmacy Inspector   earlm@dishmail.net
Randy Jones, Pharmacy Inspector    randy.jones@state.sd.us
Board of  Pharmacy Website                www.pharmacy.sd.gov