General acute care hospitals: minimum levels of pharmaceutical staff.

(1) Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate general acute care hospitals. Existing regulations require a hospital with a capacity of 100 or more beds to have a pharmacy on the premises that is licensed by the California State Board of Pharmacy. Existing regulations require a hospital having fewer than 100 beds to comply with other licensing requirements enforced by the California State Board of Pharmacy. Existing law requires general acute care hospitals to comply with specific statutory provisions for standards of care and regulations promulgated by the department, and a violation of these provisions or regulations is a crime. This bill would require a general acute care hospital licensed by the department to employ, at a minimum, one full-time pharmacist for every 100 licensed beds, and for additional licensed beds, employ additional pharmacists on a pro rata basis. The bill would require a general acute care hospital that is licensed for less than 100 beds to employ one pharmacist on at least a part-time basis. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.