(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a pharmacist may perform the following procedures or functions as part of the care provided by a health care facility, a licensed home health agency, licensed correctional clinic, a licensed clinic in which there is physician oversight, a provider who contracts with a licensed health care service plan with regard to the care or services provided to the enrollees of that health care service plan, or a physician, in accordance with the policies, procedures, or protocols of that facility, home health agency, licensed correctional clinic, licensed clinic, health care service plan, or physician, and in accordance with subdivision (c):

(1) Ordering or performing routine drug therapy-related patient assessment procedures including temperature, pulse, and respiration.

(2) Ordering drug therapy-related laboratory tests.

(3) Administering drugs and biologicals by injection pursuant to a prescriber’s order.

(4) Initiating or adjusting the drug regimen of a patient pursuant to a specific written order or authorization made by the individual patient’s treating prescriber, and in accordance with the policies, procedures, or protocols of the health care facility, home health agency, licensed correctional clinic, licensed clinic, health care service plan, or physician. Adjusting the drug regimen does not include substituting or selecting a different drug, except as authorized by the protocol. The pharmacist shall provide written notification to the patient’s treating prescriber, or enter the appropriate information in an electronic patient record system shared by the prescriber, of any drug regimen initiated pursuant to this paragraph within 24 hours.

(b) A patient’s treating prescriber may prohibit, by written instruction, any adjustment or change in the patient’s drug regimen by the pharmacist.

(c) The policies, procedures, or protocols referred to in this subdivision shall be developed by health care professionals, including physicians, pharmacists, and registered nurses, and shall, at a minimum, do all of the following:

(1) Require that the pharmacist function as part of a multidisciplinary group that includes physicians and direct care registered nurses. The multidisciplinary group shall determine the appropriate participation of the pharmacist and the direct care registered nurse.

(2) Require that the medical records of the patient be available to both the patient’s treating prescriber and the pharmacist.

(3) Require that the procedures to be performed by the pharmacist relate to a condition for which the patient has first been seen by a physician.

(4) Except for procedures or functions provided by a health care facility, a licensed correctional clinic, as defined in Section 4187, a licensed clinic in which there is physician oversight, or a provider who contracts with a licensed health care plan with regard to the care or services provided to the enrollees of that health care service plan, require the procedures to be performed in accordance with a written, patient-specific protocol approved by the treating or supervising physician. Any change, adjustment, or modification of an approved preexisting treatment or drug therapy shall be provided in writing to the treating or supervising physician within 24 hours.

(d) Prior to performing any procedure authorized by this section, a pharmacist shall have done either of the following:

(1) Successfully completed clinical residency training.

(2) Demonstrated clinical experience in direct patient care delivery.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 5. (AB 991) Effective January 1, 2020.)