What happens if the audiovisual link at a remote pharmacy is not operational?

If the audiovisual link at a remote pharmacy is not operational, it is critical to maintain proper oversight and communication between the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians at the remote site and the supervising pharmacist at the central pharmacy. The requirement for an operational audiovisual link is established to ensure that pharmacists can readily supervise the dispensing process, provide clinical consultations, and ensure compliance with regulatory and safety standards.

When the audiovisual system is down, it poses a risk to the proper dispensing of medications and could compromise patient safety. Therefore, all operations at the remote pharmacy would be halted until the audiovisual link is repaired. This is necessary to comply with state and federal regulations that mandate continuous supervision and oversight for the handling and dispensing of pharmaceuticals, ensuring that no prescriptions are filled without the necessary oversight.

The other choices do not align with these regulatory requirements. Dispensing prescriptions without operational oversight could lead to errors and adverse outcomes, hence it is crucial that operations are paused until the system is functional again.