I would like to do three things with this post:
- Show an idea I am using currently
- Ask what users think about it in general
- Critique my idea and the writing of it
I have considered signs on the wall to do pretty much the same thing. I have considered just having my receptionist hand them a piece of paper. But, I am trying to incorporate it into my patient handout.
It has been effective. Last week I had no issues while the week before I had five calls about scripts not being there, and two of these were after hours, times I really do not want to be talking to a patient about a medication that should be there soon.
And, as you will see in my verbiage, it does allude to the pharmacist's calling the office. I have had a pharmacist tell me part of the reason they don't call is they don't want to bother me when the ePrescription should arrive soon, but at the same time they are telling the patient it simply is not there. Logistically, when that occurs, (when the ePrescribe gets there in 15 minutes and the patient in 10 minutes), we get a cell phone call back with the patient's telling us we didn't "call" in the script. We then have to call the patient back (given the pharmacy won't take the cell phone from them). Then we are told they are at Rite-Aid in Mexico and we need to look up the number. We then have to call the pharmacy to give the script who then tells us the ePrescribe just arrived. The system is ridiculous as the pharmacist could easily make it a one call does all. I realize they likely get 25 patients saying they should have a script many of them that actually weren't called, faxed or eRxd by the associated physician's office, but still I think this should be part of their job as it gets the job done efficiently: the script gets called in.
The problem is if it is something simple like an ear infection I am adding paper to a paperless office.
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The actual handout: (note to patient is fictitious as is the patient, Bill)
Bill,
Here is a summary of the plan discussed. Please contact us if you have any further questions or concerns:
You have been diagnosed with pneumonia. This is an infection of the lungs which can be either viral or bacterial. Your doctor has prescribed the antibiotic below to treat your pneumonia. If your fever continues more than a couple of days or you find yourself short of breath, please call the office or go to the emergency department.
PRESCRIBE: Ceftin 500 mg oral tablet, 1 po bid for 10 days, # 20
Your doctor sent your medications to your pharmacy electronically known as ePrescribe. They will likely arrive at your pharmacy within 15 minutes, however it can take 30 minutes or longer.
Make sure to inform your pharmacy your doctor electronically prescribed your medications. Your pharmacist can then let you know if they have arrived.
If you feel you are waiting too long for your prescriptions, please ask your pharmacist to call us. It is more efficient if they call us.
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The other huge benefit to this is that the patient actually has documentation of what was prescribed. So, they don't have to say it was an antibiotic and some type of med for cough.
Any suggestions or accolades or thumbs down would be appreciated. Remember, I am sensitive.
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Finally, the most important line is this entire post is:
Make sure you tell your pharmacist your doctor ePrescribed the prescription I also suppose I could just tell the patient, and, to be honest, I end up talking about it anyway when the patient gives me a blank stare as to why I have just given them a piece of paper. It does, however, force me to explain their plan better so documentation is improved. Now, how do I keep track of who has already received this or do I do it everytime. If I put it in a message or some place it is in the computer's memory, I can search it at some point.
