§ 58-17b-620. Prescriptions issued within the public health system.

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Department of Health" means the state Department of Health created in Section 26-1-4.

(b) "Health department" means either the Department of Health or a local health department.

(c) "Local health departments" mean the local health departments created in Title 26A, Chapter 1, Local Health Departments.

(2) When it is necessary to treat a reportable disease or non-emergency condition that has a direct impact on public health, a health department may implement the prescription procedure described in Subsection (3) for a prescription drug that is not a controlled substance for use in:

(a) a clinic; or

(b) a remote or temporary off-site location, including a triage facility established in the community, that provides:

(i) treatment for sexually transmitted infections;

(ii) fluoride treatment;

(iii) travel immunization;

(iv) preventative treatment for an individual with latent tuberculosis infection;

(v) preventative treatment for an individual at risk for an infectious disease that has a direct impact on public health when the treatment is indicated to prevent the spread of disease or to mitigate the seriousness of infection in the exposed individual; or

(vi) other treatment as defined by the Department of Health rule.

(3) In a circumstance described in Subsection (2), an individual with prescriptive authority may write a prescription for each contact, as defined in Section 26-6-2, of a patient of the individual with prescriptive authority without a face-to-face exam, if:

(a) the individual with prescriptive authority is treating the patient for a reportable disease or non-emergency condition having a direct impact on public health; and

(b) the contact's condition is the same as the patient of the individual with prescriptive authority.

(4) The following prescription procedure shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of Subsection (5) and may be used only in the circumstances described under Subsections (2) and (3):

(a) a physician writes and signs a prescription for a prescription drug, other than a controlled substance, without the name and address of the patient and without the date the prescription is provided to the patient; and

(b) the physician authorizes a registered nurse employed by the health department to complete the prescription written under this Subsection (4) by inserting the patient's name and address, and the date the prescription is provided to the patient, in accordance with the physician's standing written orders and a written health department protocol approved by the physician and the medical director of the state Department of Health.

(5) A physician assumes responsibility for all prescriptions issued under this section in the physician's name.

(6)

(a) All prescription forms to be used by a physician and health department in accordance with this section shall be serially numbered according to a numbering system assigned to that health department.

(b) All prescriptions issued shall contain all information required under this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter.

Amended by Chapter 150, 2012 General Session