What actions can a pharmacy technician NOT perform in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, pharmacy technicians are limited in their scope of practice to ensure that the responsibilities of clinical assessment and patient interaction that can impact health outcomes are reserved for licensed pharmacists. While pharmacy technicians can perform administrative duties, assist in dispensing medications, and provide medication information to patients, they are not permitted to conduct clinical assessments.

Clinical assessments typically involve evaluating a patient's overall health status, medication therapy management, and making clinical decisions based on such evaluations. These tasks require a higher level of education and are part of the responsibilities assigned to pharmacists, who are trained to interpret clinical data and make patient care judgments. By restricting clinical assessments to licensed pharmacists, the state ensures that patients receive care from qualified professionals who have the necessary training and expertise to address complex health issues.

The other activities—administrative duties, assisting in dispensing medications, and providing medication information—are well within the roles pharmacy technicians can fulfill, as they support the pharmacist's work while operating within a defined framework of practice.