The College introduced new Electronic Record Keeping requirements that came into effect on November 13, 2018.

Proper recordkeeping is essential to safe and effective pharmacy practice. Well-kept records support the provision of safe services, continuity of care, and evidence-based care, as well as good professional practice and medication management.

Electronic recordkeeping enables the College to better promote patient safety through the accountability of registrants.

Under the new records management framework, pharmacies are permitted to continue keeping only hard copy records, only electronic records, or a combination of both. This allows the College to ensure that:

  • Record keeping can be completed efficiently and in a manner that promotes patient safety and the accountability of registrants;
  • Records are filed systematically;
  • Records are easily retrievable;
  • Registrants’ interactions with records are auditable (i.e. who did what and when); and,
  • Patient records and other personal and confidential information are stored securely, with appropriate back-ups.

While the College had already enforced general record keeping requirements prior to this, a number of requests had been submitted by registrants to formally allow electronic record keeping. In response to this, the College made amendments to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act Bylaws and the Health Professions Act Bylaws that set out a new framework for electronic record keeping requirements. In addition, Professional Practice Policy-12: Prescription Hard Copy File Coding System and Professional Practice Policy-20: Prescription Refills were repealed.

To learn more about the College’s Electronic Record Keeping requirements (including a series of helpful FAQs), see bcpharmacists.org/eRecords

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