Record Number of Licensed Pharmacy Professionals Disciplined by RIDOH - More Than 20
GoLocalProv News Team
Record Number of Licensed Pharmacy Professionals Disciplined by RIDOH - More Than 20
The size of the enforcement action by RIDOH is a record for the largest number of sanctions in a month.
A total of 21 licensed pharmacy workers were disciplined by RIDOH.
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One of the disciplinary actions was against a pharmacy technician who sent an inappropriate text message to a patient.
RIDOH Found Violations in Audit
“Apart from one disciplinary action, all the disciplinary actions involving pharmacists from December resulted from a routine audit evaluating compliance with continuing education requirements for this renewal period. People who had not completed their required continuing education (after saying that they did) were put on probation. While continuing education is very important, these people were not put on probation because of any specific patient safety concerns,” said Joseph Wendelken, spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Health.
"The one disciplinary action of a pharmacist from December that was unrelated to this routine audit involved a licensee sending inappropriate text messages to a patient," said Wendelken.
All 50 state boards of pharmacy, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico require CPE hours as a prerequisite for re-licensure.
“Continuing pharmacy education (CPE) has served as the standard for maintaining professional competence for over 40 years in the United States. Defined by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), CPE is a ‘structured educational activity designed or intended to support the continuing development of pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians to maintain and enhance their competence,’” according to the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.
Adonis Cruz, a Pharmacy Technician (II), licensed to practice in Rhode Island and who worked at Anthony’s Pharmacy in Johnston was cited for inappropriate professional behavior.
"[On] June 25, 2024, RIDOH received a complaint alleging Cruz sent inappropriate text messages to a patient. [On] June 26, 2024, RIDOH undertook an investigation of the complaint," wrote the RIDOH's Board of Pharmacy.
Further, the Board wrote, “[On] September 19, 2024, [Cruz] appeared before the Board of Pharmacy Investigative Committee during which he answered questions from the investigative committee and expressed remorse for his actions. That on October 17, 2024, the Board of Pharmacy Investigative Committee unanimously determined that unprofessional conduct had occurred, and that discipline was appropriate in this case.”
“Cruz’s Pharmacy Technician II license shall be on probation for one (1) year …During the probationary period Cruz must seek appropriate counseling through resources from an employee assistance program (EAP) or an independent clinician on a monthly basis,” the Board added.
The Names of the Licensed Pharmacy Professional Disciplined by RIDOH (Last Name First)
Leazer, Nicholas
Nazario Johnson, Sabrina
Conca, Addison
Gormley, Christopher
Nguyen, Anh, N.
Dusute, Kelly
Cocozza, James
Rowland, Jessica
ONeill, Patricia
Albatal, Christine
Alcusky, Matthew
Auslander, Nicholas
Camacho, Elizabeth
Dabrosca, Amy
Krawczyk, Brianne
Lambrakis, Grammatikos
Manion, Jennifer
Pham, Huy
Skarbelis, Christopher
Each is required to take additional professional education training.