Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT

TITLE:            CONCERNING COLLABORATIVE DRUG THERAPY AGREEMENTS BETWEEN PHYSICIANS AND PHARMACISTS.

Summary of Assessment

            The provisions of this bill would allow physicians and pharmacists to enter into collaborative drug therapy agreements for the purpose of drug therapy management. Collaborative drug therapy agreements would be voluntary written agreements between physicians and pharmacists which delegate the authority to modify drug therapy, or order devices or laboratory tests necessary to monitor drug therapy. The agreements would be governed by a protocol that would set the terms and conditions for the delegation of the authority from the physician to the pharmacist. The bill would allow the State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners to inspect any protocol on request. The bill would become effective on September 1, 1998, unless a referendum petition is filed pursuant to Article V, Section 1 (3) of the State Constitution., in which case it would become effective on the date of the official declaration of the vote of the people as proclaimed by the Governor.

            The provisions of the bill would grant authority to the State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners to inspect any such protocols. It is assumed that such inspections would occur at the time of a periodic-routine inspection of a pharmacy, or pursuant to the investigation of a complaint. Based on the experiences of the State Board of Nursing to review collaborative agreements, it is assumed that the bill would have an insignificant impact on any agency of the state, or unit of local government. Therefore, this bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.

Departments Contacted

            Regulatory Agencies