Three Rhode Island Pharmacists Reprimanded by Department of Health

Three Rhode Island Pharmacists Reprimanded by Department of Health

Three Rhode Island pharmacists have been reprimanded by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH).

The three were cited for claiming that they had completed required continuing education (CE) when they had not.

Each had claimed on the required RIDOH documents that they had done the CE work. An audit conducted by RIDOH uncovered the falsifications.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

With thousands of new drugs each year and new information about the effectiveness of drugs, pharmacists are faced with a constant need for medical education.

According to Pharmacy Times, “Continuing education is crucial for pharmacists because it allows them to stay updated on the latest medications, treatment guidelines, and safety protocols, ensuring they can provide the best possible patient care by preventing medication errors and making informed decisions about drug therapies, ultimately improving patient outcomes; this also helps them adapt to the rapidly changing healthcare landscape and maintain their professional competency, often required by licensing boards to practice pharmacy.” 

A critical issue that requires constant professional education is staying current with drug interactions and proper medication usage can significantly reduce medication errors and improve patient safety.

 

The Three Reprimanded Are:

RIDOH reprimanded pharmacist Lindsay Cook - for falsely claiming she completed continuing education as legally required. 

“[Cook] renewed [her] license as a registered pharmacist for the licensing period of January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, and answered ‘yes’ to the following questions: 'I have completed all applicable CE (continuing education) requirements for this renewal period as stated in the Rules and Regulations for my profession,'" wrote RIDOH. 

“A routine audit conducted by the Department demonstrated that [Cook] failed to complete continuing education requirements in violation of R5-19.1-PHAR-7.4," RIDOH continued. 

Now, the state is requiring Cook to “obtain an additional twenty non-live continuing education credits in addition to the fifteen credit hours of continuing education required” in order to maintain her license. 

Stephanie Reilly, RPh, like Cook, had claimed she completed her CE, but upon review by the RIDOH, she had not. According to RIDOH, Reilly agreed to the following enforcement action as a part of her consent agreement. “Respondent shall obtain an additional 10 (Ten) live continuing education credits and 18 (Eighteen) non-live continuing education credits in addition to the fifteen (15) credit hours of continuing education required under RS- 19.1-PHAR-7.4,” stated the consent decree signed by Reilly.

A third pharmacist, Kenny Correia, RPh, was also reprimanded for falsely claiming he had completed his required CE.

Correia, as part of the consent decree he signed, agreed to “obtain an additional ten (10) non-live continuing education credits in addition to the fifteen (15) credit hours of continuing education required under RS-19.1-PHAR-7.4.”