Pharmacies in our area LOVE to send refill requests for long discontinued medications, so we ignore ALL pharmacy faxed requests now. They also love to tell Hispanic and low-income patients their insurance does not cover a certain med or that they only have the brand-name in stock. I have caught pharmacists in the middle of a lie several times, but that is another story.
I think that fax is just automated and goes out after enough time for refills. We get these all the time where the patient has moved and no longer goes to that pharmacy. Or the med has been discontinued.
I did have a patient attempt to get snarky with me the other day, asking why she had to come in since she was just in in January (6 months) and I wasn't exactly syurpy sweet when I replied that its the rules, its our policy, you must come in for all renewals of prescriptions. If you have run out, Dr C will write you a 2 week supply. Of course, all patients receive a sign a copy of our policies which state that you must come in for all renewals.
@Bert--yeah, each business and patient population is different. And I am sure there are things we can do that as you said you cannot when dealing with concerned parents. Yep, you would be wise to not even try (and you don't).
Oh, yes it annoys me that Medicaid pays for OTC meds. Commerical Ins will too for certain doeses...like 600mg of ibuprofen. We have had patients who really didnt need that high a dose call and request it so the insurance would pay for it. The pharmacist told them to.
