Greetings pharmacy and medical professionals. Thank you for being critically important members of the multi-professional healthcare teams caring for our fellow Texans.
With the ever-changing landscape of healthcare practices and models, it is important to remind ourselves of the importance of clear and open communication between pharmacists and physicians. Each fully licensed physician possesses the authority to diagnosis and treat patients across all medical specialties, not just in the specialty they normally practice. Each pharmacist has the authority to dispense or not dispense prescriptions depending on the validity of the prescription and patient safety. That corresponding responsibility requires both parties to ensure prescriptions are issued and dispensed safely and for legitimate medical purposes. Each professional must use independent clinical and professional judgment and should communicate with each other when concerns arise. Protecting patients depends on shared responsibility and collaboration.
We thank you again for working together to care for patients in Texas.
Very Respectfully,
Brint
Stephen ‘Brint’ Carlton
Executive Director
Texas Medical Board
