The electronic transfer of prescription information includes the communication of prescription information by computer, fax, or other electronic means. It includes the transfer of original and refill prescriptions and the transfer of prescription information from one pharmacy to another pharmacy.

Transmission of original prescriptions must include:

(1) Prescriber's name and the physical address of the prescriber;

(2) Prescriber's Drug Enforcement Administration Registration number where required for controlled substance prescriptions;

(3) Date of issuance;

(4) Patient's name and address;

(5) Drug name, dose, route, form, directions for use, quantity;

(6) Electronic, digital, or manual signature of the prescriber;

(7) Refills or renewals authorized, if any;

(8) A place to note allergies and a notation of purpose for the drug;

(9) Indication of preference for a generic equivalent drug substitution;

(10) Any other requirements consistent with laws and rules pertaining to prescription content and form, RCW 69.41.120 and 21 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1300; and

(11) Identification of the electronic systemreadily retrievable for board of pharmacy inspection.

Transfer of prescription information from pharmacy to pharmacy by facsimile, or verbally, must include:

(a) All elements of the original prescription;

(b) Date of transfer maintained in records at each site;

(c) Number of refills remaining and the date of last refill;

(d) State and federal required information for controlled substances;

(e) No further refills may be issued by the transferring pharmacy unless the pharmacies use a common electronic database for prescription filling which provides an audit trail to document each refill and limits refills to the number authorized.