New Standards for Pharmacists Ordering, Receiving and Interpreting Laboratory Tests Now in Effect

New Standards for Pharmacists Ordering, Receiving and Interpreting Laboratory Tests Now in Effect

As of August 27, 2024, new standards, limits and conditions (SLCs) are now in effect to support pharmacists when ordering and receiving laboratory tests and interpreting test results. These standards have been added to Schedule F of the Health Professions Act (HPA) Bylaws following approval by the Board of the College on June 27, 2024.

What you need to know: 

• Pharmacists are Now “Referring Practitioners”: These SLCs coincide with an amendment to the Laboratory Services Regulation to designate pharmacists as “referring practitioners” which comes into effect on August 30, 2024. This allows pharmacists to order certain laboratory tests for medication management as benefits under the Laboratory Services Act (LSA).

• No-Cost Testing for Clients: Designation as a “referring practitioner” gives pharmacists the ability to order certain laboratory tests as a health benefit at no cost to their clients for the purpose of medication management within their existing scope of practice.  

• Referring Practitioner Schedule: The Ministry of Health has established a referring practitioner schedule which lists laboratory tests that pharmacists can order as health benefits for their clients. Laboratory tests that are not on this schedule may only be ordered if they support services that fit within pharmacists’ current scope of practice, and clients will be subject to an out-of-pocket cost for them.

• Hospital Pharmacy: Pharmacists ordering tests in hospital settings are required to meet the new SLCs and are expected to continue complying with health authority policies on ordering laboratory tests as long as those policies are consistent with the new SLCs. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Do pharmacists have to provide laboratory test services?

• How do I obtain my Medical Services Plan (MSP) practitioner number to provide laboratory test services?

• Under what circumstances can a pharmacist refuse to order labs for a patient?

• Which laboratory tests are covered as health benefits? (i.e. will not incur an out-of-pocket expense for clients)

• When does a pharmacist need to notify a primary healthcare provider about laboratory test results?

• Are there any aspects of ordering, receiving and interpreting laboratory tests that can be delegated to pharmacy technicians or other non-registrant pharmacy staff?

• What should a pharmacist do if a client declines a test that the pharmacist considers necessary or important? Can the pharmacist inform the patient's primary healthcare provider?

• What are the documentation requirements for pharmacists when ordering, receiving and interpreting laboratory tests?

• Are pharmacists required to use laboratory test results when providing patient care, even if they did not order those specific tests?

• How can I access my laboratory test results if no pharmacist is available to interpret them?

• What if the client needs their test results interpreted, but the test was ordered by another healthcare professional?

• Am I obligated to interpret the test results of a client when the ordering pharmacist is not present?

BC Provincial Pharmacy Initiatives Update Webinar 2024

On July 25, 2024, the BC Pharmacy Association (BCPhA), the Ministry of Health and CPBC hosted a virtual webinar focused on several significant province-wide changes impacting pharmacy care in BC. Among the key topics was the introduction of the new laboratory test referral standards for pharmacists, which are now in effect.

Key changes discussed: 

• Pharmacist Lab Test Referrals
• Changes to Professional Practice Policy 58: Adapting a Prescription
• Provincial Prescription Management (e.g., electronic prescription management in PharmaNet)
• Updates to the OAT Compliance and Management Program for Pharmacy
• Other upcoming Ministry initiatives

Watch the Recording

If you missed the live event, you can watch the full recording on the BCPhA Website by visiting https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/etraining/.  BCPhA membership is NOT required to access this recording, however, a free BCPhA account is necessary, and can be created by any pharmacist with valid CPBC registration.