Provider Notice issued 04/18/03

Record Requirements for Pharmacies - Signature Log

This notice is a clarification of the Department's December 23, 2002 Informational Notice regarding pharmacy signature logs.

The requirements for the signature log have been changed.  The name of the patient will not be required on the log.  The signature log must contain the prescription number, date the prescription was picked up and the signature of the person picking up the prescription.  If multiple prescriptions are being picked up, a single signature will be sufficient for all of the patient's prescriptions.  Pharmacies may keep the signature log in an electronic form, including electronic signatures, provided that paper copies of the information, including signatures, can be printed from the electronic form. 

In lieu of maintaining a signature log, pharmacies providing drugs via mail order must maintain a log of the shipping information.  This log must contain the patient's name, address, prescription number, prescription shipped date and the type of carrier.

As an alternative to maintaining the aforementioned signature log, a pharmacy may opt to utilize optical scanner bar technology to document that prescriptions were, in fact, received or picked up.  The pharmacy must be able to produce paper copies of the information retained electronically through the use of this technology. 

Pharmacies providing drugs to patients who are receiving medications in their homes with the assistance of a home health agency, hospice or registered nurse and pharmacies providing drugs to residents of a long-term care facility must also maintain a signature log as described above. The exception is that only one signature is required for all medications delivered.  A representative of the home health agency, the hospice, the long-term care facility or the registered nurse may sign for the receipt of the drugs.

Questions regarding this notice may be directed to the Bureau of Comprehensive Health Services at 217-782-5565

A. George Hovanec, Administrator

Division of Medical Programs