Technician Product Verification
Technician Product Verification (TPV) is a model which uses both pharmacists and experienced technicians at the top of their skill set, to improve efficiencies and patient care in pharmacy practice.
TPV Toolkit for All Pharmacy Practice Settings
To assist your pharmacy practice in implementing TPV, IPA developed a toolkit based on our 15+ years of experience working with pharmacies, technicians, and pharmacists to successfully implement TPV. IPA’s TPV Toolkit is in accordance with Iowa regulations for any pharmacy or hospital practice. To purchase the IPA TPV Toolkit, please visit the IPA Store.
IPA’s TPV Toolkit includes:
1. Readiness assessment
An 18-question assessment to determine if your pharmacy or health-system is ready to consider TPV to optimize patient care delivery by your pharmacists. Key areas, including: defined need, practice site readiness, personnel, patient care activities, and sustainment for change, are considered in guiding a pharmacy’s readiness to pursue TPV.
2. Implementation timeline and checklistThis checklist highlights key action steps and multiple tactics to guide your pharmacy or health-system to success during the 8-12 months before implementation of TPV and into the months following.
3. Sample Policy & Procedures
Building off the successful research and pilot projects in Iowa pharmacies, a template of policy and procedures has been developed to ensure your pharmacy setting maintains safety to the public and optimizes pharmacist’s time to deliver care.
4. Sample notification to Iowa BOP
Based on state-specific regulations, pharmacies may have to notify their Board of Pharmacy of their intent to implement TPV. This sample notification is required for all Iowa pharmacies that plan to implement TPV in their practice.
5. Sample data collection documentation for BOP Inspection
Using this format, pharmacies can use a simple process to collect necessary information to showcase to a Board of Pharmacy compliance officer upon inspection of your TPV program.
6. Discount to TPV Certificate Course for Pharmacy Technicians
In collaboration with CEimpact, IPA has developed training modules to fulfill the necessary requirements through the Iowa board of pharmacy, including: the TPV Certificate Course for Pharmacy Technicians, and A Pharmacist’s Guide to Implementing TPV. These training modules are purchased separately through CEimpact. A discount code valued at $100 is provided to all IPA TPV Toolkit purchasers for use with the Certificate Course for Pharmacy Technicians.
To purchase the IPA TPV Toolkit, please visit the IPA Store.
TPV Brief Timeline – Historical Overview
Early 1990’s:
- As IPA continually works to advance the profession of pharmacy, the association had worked with hospital pharmacies that wanted to utilize TPV (also known as tech-check-tech) procedures.
- IPA House of Delegates adopts tech-check-tech policy in 1994 (policy revised in 2007), to support programs that utilize certified pharmacy technicians verifying the work of other technicians to expand pharmacist participation in patient care activities.
- Legislation was passed to allow hospital pharmacies and pharmacies providing services to long-term facilities to develop and implement TPV programs per approval of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.
- Spencer Hospital in Spencer, IA was the first hospital to have an approved TPV program in 2011.
- Legislation passes to allow the Iowa board of pharmacy to approve pilot or research demonstration projects that advance the profession and improve patient care.
- The Iowa board of pharmacy approves a pilot project in March to implement TPV across seven community pharmacies, which was eventually expanded to ten additional community pharmacies.
- Results of the TPV model in community pharmacies was published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.
- Legislation passes to amend the definition of tech-check-tech to allow for technician product verification to occur in all Iowa pharmacy practice settings.
- Iowa regulations are adopted for technician product verification.
