Published December 2, 2024
If you visit a doctor and need a prescription, they will most likely send it directly to your pharmacy using a computer. Sending the prescription by computer before you leave the office often means you can pick up the filled prescription on your way home. Even more important, computer prescriptions (called electronic prescriptions) can lower the risk of errors. With electronic prescriptions, your pharmacist does not need to make sense of handwritten prescriptions, which have often been misread because of poor handwriting. Also, electronic prescriptions automatically appear in the pharmacy computer. So, there is a lower risk of error because the pharmacist does not need to type the prescription into the pharmacy computer.
Despite these benefits, electronic prescriptions have a few downsides. One unexpected problem is that consumers often do not know what medicine to expect when they arrive at the pharmacy. Their doctors have only told them that they are sending a “prescription” to the pharmacy. Too often, the consumer has not been told the name (brand and generic) of the medicine that has been prescribed, nor have they received a copy of the prescription or written instructions. This raises an important question: How will consumers know what they’re supposed to receive if they are not told or given written information about the medicine, the dose, and the directions for use?
Consumers who know what to expect when picking up prescription medicines can help recognize when something is not right. Take this case for example. A pediatrician sent an electronic prescription for a child to a pharmacy. The prescription was for Miralax powder (polyethylene glycol 3350) 3 teaspoons mixed with 6 ounces of liquid taken by mouth daily for 30 days. However, the label on the bottle just said to mix and administer 3 tablespoons daily for 30 days. Although the pediatrician sent the prescription electronically, he gave the child’s mother a copy of the prescription in case there was a problem filling it. Had she not received a copy of the prescription, she would not have known the correct dose and would have given her daughter more than the required amount for her age and weight.
Here’s what you can do: If your doctor sends an electronic prescription to your pharmacy, be sure you know what medicine to expect along with the dose and directions for taking it. Ask your doctor to provide you with a copy of the prescription or a written list of the prescribed medicines, which can be added to the office summary you receive at the end of your visit. Compare the medicine on the copy of the prescription or listed on the office summary with the medicine you receive from the pharmacy. If you find any differences, tell your pharmacist and ask them to verify your prescription with your doctor.
