Rule 4729:5-18-06 | Technology requirements for a telepharmacy system.
(A) There shall be a fully functioning telepharmacy system in the remote dispensing pharmacy. The system shall always be operational when pharmacy personnel are working in the pharmacy.
(1) The telepharmacy system shall utilize positive identification and comply with the record keeping requirements for outpatient pharmacies in accordance with Chapter 4729:5-5 of the Administrative Code.
(2) In the event that the telepharmacy system is not functional for more than one-business day, the supervising pharmacist or another pharmacist employed by the supervising pharmacy shall be required to be physically on-site to allow for prescriptions to be dispensed during the normal business hours of the remote dispensing pharmacy.
(3) The supervising pharmacy shall have backup procedures to ensure prescriptions may be dispensed in the event of a telepharmacy system outage that is greater than one business day.
(4) In the event of a temporary telepharmacy system outage of less than the duration of one business day, the supervising pharmacist may direct the certified pharmacy technicians and/or pharmacy interns at the remote dispensing pharmacy to complete activities not requiring pharmacist verification or use of the telepharmacy system. Staff at the remote dispensing pharmacy may continue to sell prescriptions that have already been verified and dispensed by the pharmacist. In this case, patients shall be provided with a phone number where they can obtain patient counseling in accordance with rule 4729:5-5-09 of the Administrative Code.
(5) The telepharmacy system shall comply with all the following:
(a) Chapter 3798. of the Revised Code;
(b) 42 U.S.C. 1320d et. seq. (9/5/2025); and
(c) 45 C.F.R. parts 160, 162, and 164 (9/5/2025) for individually identifiable health information (HIPAA).
(B) The telepharmacy system shall, at a minimum, have high-definition image resolution with variable viewing options to accurately and safely dispense a dangerous drug or drug device and sufficient data retention capabilities to investigate any quality-related events.
(1) The telepharmacy system must produce images that are high definition with image resolution of at least three hundred pixels per inch.
(2) The images shall contain the following to ensure the pharmacist is able to appropriately verify the prescription prior to dispensing.
(a) A clear image of the prescription label affixed to the medication or device;
(b) The full quantity of the filled prescription;
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (B)(3) of this rule, the medication stock bottle or container and label of a drug that has been returned to stock in accordance with rule 4729:5-5-22 of the Administrative Code used to fill the prescription, if applicable; and
(d) Clear markings present on the pill or capsule, if applicable.
(3) The board may waive or modify the requirements listed in paragraph (B)(2)(c) of this rule if the remote dispensing pharmacy can provide an alternative method that accurately captures information from the medication stock bottle and/or container and label of a drug that has been returned to stock in accordance with rule 4729:5-5-22 of the Administrative Code.
(4) Images associated with the verification and dispensing of a prescription or device shall be retained and become part of the patient's profile and maintained for one year.
(C) There shall be a working computer link, video link, and audio link to the supervising pharmacist whenever the remote dispensing pharmacy is open to the public. The required technology must allow the supervising pharmacist to provide the personal assistance, direction, and approval needed to verify and ensure remote tasks are safely and properly performed.
(D) Written prescriptions presented to the remote dispensing pharmacy shall be scanned into the telepharmacy system. The original prescription must be able to be viewed at both the remote dispensing pharmacy and the supervising pharmacy.
(1) All information in the prescription shall be scanned in full color (i.e., retains color information and/or color graphics in the document) via technology designed to capture information in one form and reproduce it in an electronic medium presentable and usable to an end user.
(2) A prescription record or image once created shall be unalterable but may be annotated as necessary so long as the original record or image is still available for review and the individual that made the annotation is noted.
(E) Certified pharmacy technicians and/or pharmacy interns shall use barcoding technology when filling prescriptions at a remote dispensing pharmacy to ensure the accuracy of prescriptions dispensed in accordance with this chapter. Barcodes shall be scanned, and not manually typed, into the system.
The board may waive or modify the barcode technology requirements listed in this paragraph if the remote dispensing pharmacy can provide an alternative method to ensure the accuracy of prescriptions dispensed in accordance with this chapter.
(F) All records of prescriptions dispensed, including the records of the actions performed through the telepharmacy system, shall be maintained at the remote dispensing pharmacy, in a readily retrievable manner, for three years after the dispensation of the prescription.
Last updated April 7, 2026 at 7:53 AM
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