By Van de Putte                                       H.R. No. 1302
         76R17936 SMZ-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The 14,683 licensed and practicing pharmacists in
 1-2     Texas are part of one of the most trusted professional services in
 1-3     our nation; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, The number of prescriptions dispensed annually is
 1-5     projected to double in the next five years as a result of an aging
 1-6     population, an expanding array of innovative drugs approved by the
 1-7     Food and Drug Administration, and an increase in the affordability
 1-8     of prescription drugs from expanded coverage by health insurance
 1-9     plans; and
1-10           WHEREAS, In spite of the increasing demand for basic
1-11     prescription services, pharmacists are spending more time working
1-12     through the complicated and time-consuming administrative duties
1-13     required by modern insurance coverage, consequently spending less
1-14     time in their appropriate role of dispensing drugs and counseling
1-15     patients; and
1-16           WHEREAS, These administrative requirements, compounded by the
1-17     inability of pharmacists to make decisions about the operation of
1-18     their pharmacies related to adequate staffing and patient support,
1-19     have created a less-than-satisfactory work environment, often
1-20     resulting in a pharmacist working long hours with little or no time
1-21     for breaks, meals, or other basic needs; and
1-22           WHEREAS, The number of pharmacists graduating from Texas
1-23     colleges of pharmacy is not keeping pace with the need, and many
1-24     parts of Texas, including West Texas, North Texas, and the Rio
 2-1     Grande Valley, are experiencing critical shortages of pharmacists;
 2-2     and
 2-3           WHEREAS, These shortages, exacerbated by the lack of adequate
 2-4     residency practice sites and the exodus of graduates seeking
 2-5     residency at community and institutional practice settings outside
 2-6     of Texas, compound the problem of an increasing workload shared by
 2-7     shorthanded pharmacy staffs; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, The Texas State Board of Pharmacy and Texas pharmacy
 2-9     associations have recognized the increasingly adverse working
2-10     environments that pharmacists are facing, and the board has
2-11     appointed a task force to examine pharmacist working conditions and
2-12     their impact on public health and safety; and
2-13           WHEREAS, The Texas State Board of Pharmacy has recommended
2-14     that employers assist in alleviating the increasing pressures on
2-15     pharmacists by facilitating communication between employers and
2-16     pharmacists on issues related to working conditions and by
2-17     empowering pharmacists-in-charge to make decisions regarding
2-18     working conditions, staffing, and other practice issues that affect
2-19     the efficiency and effectiveness of a pharmacy in meeting the needs
2-20     of its customers; now, therefore, be it
2-21           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-22     Legislature hereby urge the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to
2-23     consider the recommendations put forth by the Task Force on Working
2-24     Conditions and make changes in current rules to improve the work
2-25     environment of Texas pharmacists to allow more time for patient
2-26     care and counseling, to develop guidelines for better working
2-27     conditions in Texas pharmacies, and to encourage employers to adopt
 3-1     and abide by these guidelines; and, be it further
 3-2           RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the house of
 3-3     representatives forward an official copy of this resolution to the
 3-4     executive director of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.