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Kansas Expands Scope of Pharmacists’ Practice
In Kansas, the senate has approved a bill signed by the Governor which expands a pharmacist’s scope of practice to include point-of-care testing for and treatment of influenza, streptococcal pharyngitis, and urinary tract infections.
The measure was taken to provide more easily available health care services for the public. The bill passed 37 to 2, but one senator who voted no said unanswered questions related to pharmacists’ standards and malpractice insurance were what motivated her.
“I vote no not because I don’t want to provide more access to care,” said Senator Alicia Straub, “but because I value the quality of that care over quantity. I think we all can relate to standing in line at a pharmacy. I’m not sure how our pharmacists are going to also be providing and practicing medicine.”
Kansas also approved 2 other bills aimed at broadening the scope of nonphysician medical professionals: HB 2279 allows advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe medicine without physician supervision (and requires them to carry their own liability insurance), and SB 440 allows occupational therapists to provide some services to patients without a referral from a health care provider.
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