PharmaNet Patient Keywords - EPNMP.07

Under the B.C. Pharmaceutical Services Act, patients can assign a confidential ‘keyword’ to their PharmaNet patient record, allowing the patient to control who has access to their PharmaNet information. 

To gain access to keyword-protected PharmaNet information, the patient must give you their keyword.  

Working with Keywords

Unless the patient has given you permission to store their keyword, the patient will have to provide it each time you want to access their PharmaNet record.

Storing Keywords

With your patient’s consent, you may store their keyword in your EMR application. The keyword can be stored only in the location within your software specifically designed for keyword storage. Only in this location is it properly encrypted and protected against misuse.

If you do store the keyword, you will be prompted to confirm that the patient has consented to you storing the keyword for future use.

Storing your patient’s keyword in your software allows you to access their PharmaNet information without entering the keyword. The software populates the keyword for you and requires you to verify use of the keyword in the first transaction only; you will not be required to verify the use of the keyword for subsequent transactions during the same patient session.

If required, you can update or delete the keyword if it is stored in your software. However, to change  the keyword stored in PharmaNet, the patient must make the request at a community pharmacy.

Patient Reminders

Please remind your patients that:

• they ask to have a PharmaNet keyword applied, changed or deleted at their pharmacy; and
• if they change their keyword, you will not be able to access their PharmaNet information unless they provide you with the new keyword.