Pharmacist ordering of lab tests is a go

Know the standards

ACP council approved amendments to Standard 2 of the Standards for Pharmacist Practice regarding ordering of lab tests.  It is your responsibility to become familiar with the standards and guidelines before you begin ordering lab tests.

Have a plan for receiving results

Results for all lab tests ordered by pharmacists will be available via Netcare in the same way as results for tests ordered by other health professionals. However, to ensure timely responses and follow-ups for tests you have ordered you will be required to provide the lab with information regarding how results can be received in your workplace.

• If you work in an AHS facility, a PCN or a physician’s office where other health professionals are already receiving results you can likely receive results for the tests you order via the same method as other health professionals. It is your responsibility to consult with your work location to determine whether results for the tests you order can be received and whether there are any additional workplace requirements to do so. 
   
• If you work in a community pharmacy that is located in or adjacent to a physician’s clinic, you may be able to receive results via the same method as the clinic.
   
• If you work in a community pharmacy in another location, you must make arrangements with the lab to have results delivered.  

For additional information, or if you need assistance in determining how you will receive results, please contact the lab you are registering with.

24/7 coverage required

As indicated in the ACP standards and guidelines, pharmacists must have a system in place to ensure appropriate follow-up of critical results for lab tests they order on a 24-hour, 7 day/week basis. You may feel that you are able to provide 24/7 coverage; however, there are times when all of us are indisposed or unavailable. For this reason you are encouraged to consider developing agreements, partnerships, or arrangements, such as on-call groups, with other pharmacist or physician colleagues to meet this requirement.

• If you work in an AHS facility, a PCN or a physician’s office where other health professionals are already receiving critical results you may be able to provide after hours coverage via the same method as other health professionals. It is your responsibility to consult with your work location to determine whether this is possible. 
   
• If you work in a community pharmacy, you may need to establish an on-call schedule with other pharmacists who work with you. Alternately you may wish to develop partnerships or on-call groups with other pharmacists, other pharmacies or physician colleagues.

After hours emergency contact information must be made available to the lab at the time of registration or must be available via a messaging service at your regular contact number. Lab representatives will not leave information regarding critical results on answering machines or voicemail.

HOW TO REGISTER

Information and a registration packages for all labs are available on the Alberta Health Services website at http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/3457.asp

The area of the province where you live and where you work will determine which lab(s) you need to register with:  

1. Community pharmacists in the following areas must register with DynaLifeDx:

• Camrose
• Edmonton and surrounding areas including Beaumont, Evansburg, Fort Saskatchewan, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, and Spruce Grove
• Fort McMurray
• High Level and area including LaCrete and Ft. Vermillion
• Lloydminster
• Red Deer

Information and a registration package are available via the Community Pharmacists – Edmonton Zone link on the AHS website.

2. Community and AHS pharmacists in the following areas must register with Calgary Lab Services (CLS):

• Airdrie
• Calgary
• Canmore
• Claresholm
• Didsbury
• High River
• Oilfields
• Okotoks
• Strathmore
• Vulcan                                                                               

Information and a registration package are available via the All Pharmacists – Calgary Zone link  on the AHS website

3. Community and AHS pharmacists in all other areas of the province (i.e., rural/suburban communities) must register with AHS regional labs. Information and a registration package are available via the AHS Pharmacists – Rural/Suburban link on the AHS website

4. Alberta Health Services (AHS) pharmacists in the Edmonton zone must register with Edmonton AHS lab. A registration package and additional information will be provided from AHS Pharmacy Services in January 2011.

Information and a registration package are available via the AHS Pharmacists – Edmonton Zone link on the AHS website

5. AHS pharmacists in all areas of the province who will order lab tests for inpatients will be provided with information from AHS Pharmacy Services regarding guidelines and how to register with AHS labs.

Note:  A small number of pharmacists may fall into more than one of the above categories. If you are one of these pharmacists, please review the appropriate information packages and register with both labs.

Need a PRAC ID?

Before registering with a lab, you must have a PRAC ID. The form to apply for a PRAC ID, the unique ID needed to order tests, is available on the ACP website under Pharmacist resources/Forms/PracIDApp.