Responsibility to Patients
Responsibility to the Public
Responsibility to Colleagues
Responsibility to APN
Summary

Associated Pharmacy Network (APN) was established as a quality-oriented pharmacy network focused on delivering exceptional pharmaceutical care and services. To uphold this mission, APN has set forth operating principals for the ethical conduct of its member pharmacists and pharmacies. These principals are intended to serve as guidelines for the professional functions and conduct of APN pharmacies and pharmacists. Therefore, APN calls upon its network members to conduct their professional practice in a manner that garners respect from patients, colleagues, vendors, the general public and our client constituencies.

Responsibility to Patients

APN pharmacies and pharmacists shall endeavor to practice with the highest degree of professional competency and honesty in the care of their patients. Clinical judgment and practice should be objective and exercised solely for the patient's benefit.

Members shall not exploit the trust and dependence of their patients.

Members shall not assist or abet the improper or illegal conduct of anyone in connection with the treatment of a patient.

Members shall employ their best good faith efforts to supply the patients and their doctor with sufficient information to enable intelligent and informed decision-making to promote optimal therapeutic outcomes.

Members shall comply with a patient's authorization to provide records, or copy of records, to those whom the patient designates as authorized to inspect or receive all or part of such records. Members shall also observe and comply with all State and Federal laws protecting the privacy of a patient's health information.

Responsibility to the Public

Members shall observe and comply with all laws, decisions and regulations established by a local, state or federal authority, and cooperate in the activities and policies of agencies authorized to regulate or assist in the regulation of the pharmacy profession.

Responsibility to Colleagues

Members shall continually strive to improve their skill and competency by keeping abreast of current developments presented in the health and scientific literature, by participating in continuing pharmacy and pharmacist educational programs and utilizing other appropriate means for the improvement of skills.

Members shall protect the public as well as the reputation of the pharmacy profession by bringing to the attention of the appropriate public or private organizations the actions of pharmacies and pharmacists who engage in the deception or fraud, or otherwise engage in conduct inconsistent with provisions of applicable laws or regulations.

Members shall assist in maintaining integrity, competency and high standards among network colleagues.

Members shall not interfere with the performance of another network member's professional care of a patient or initiate, or participate in any discussion or activity that might result in an unjust injury to another network member's reputation or practice.

Responsibility to APN

Members shall not take any action intended to discredit or malign the purpose, function or judgment of APN. Members shall express grievances and concerns professionally and through the proper forums identified by APN.

Members shall by their behavior, avoid even the appearance of professional impropriety and shall recognize that their public behavior may have an impact on the ability of APN to serve the public.

Members shall act with prudence and fiscal responsibility and maintain sound business relationships with vendors, colleagues, associates and APN to ensure the best quality service possible to patients.

Members shall recognize and cooperate fully with APN established policies and procedures for the expression of patient complaints and to inform patients of the availability of this forum to air their grievances.

Members shall disclose medical information to insurers and health care service plans, employers or other entities responsible for paying for health care services rendered to the patient as prescribed by State or Federal law (including compliance with HIPAA) and to the extent necessary to determine payment amounts and responsibility. Additionally, medical information shall be disclosed to utilization and quality improvement peer review committees and external auditing agencies.

Members shall not engage in fraudulent billing practices and shall not bill for products nor services not provided or in amounts which would inflate the actual charge of the product or dispense medications to patient's not authorized to use such services.

In Summary

Any deviation from this code of ethics or any action taken by a network pharmacy or pharmacist which is detrimental to a patient, APN and/or the profession as a whole shall be deemed unprofessional conduct and subject to discipline, including termination from the network by the APN Board of Directors.