Section 25. Unprofessional conduct

The following practices shall constitute unprofessional conduct within the meaning of § 54.1-3316 of the Code of Virginia:

1. Failing to comply with provisions of § 32.1-127.1:03 of the Code of Virginia related to the confidentiality and disclosure of patient records or related to provision of patient records to another practitioner or to the patient or his personal representative;

2. Willfully or negligently breaching the confidentiality of a patient unless otherwise required or permitted by applicable law;

3. Failing to maintain confidentiality of information received from the Prescription Monitoring Program, obtaining such information for reasons other than to assist in determining the validity of a prescription to be filled, or misusing information received from the program;

4. Engaging in disruptive or abusive behavior in a pharmacy or other health care setting that interferes with patient care or could reasonably be expected to adversely impact the quality of care rendered to a patient;

5. Engaging or attempting to engage in a relationship with a patient that constitutes a professional boundary violation in which the practitioner uses his professional position to take advantage of the vulnerability of a patient or his family, including but not limited to sexual misconduct with a patient or a member of his family or other conduct that results or could result in personal gain at the expense of the patient;

6. Failing to maintain adequate safeguards against diversion of controlled substances;

7. Failing to appropriately respond to a known dispensing error in a manner that protects the health and safety of the patient;

8. Delegating a task within the practice of pharmacy to a person who is not adequately trained to perform such a task;

9. Failing by the PIC to ensure that pharmacy interns and pharmacy technicians working in the pharmacy are registered and that such registration is current; or

10. Failing to exercise professional judgment in determining whether a prescription meets requirements of law before dispensing.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.