5 Simple Tips to Avoid Delaying Prescription

Taking the right medicine at the right time and in the right way as prescribed by the doctor can help control medical issues and help patients stay healthy. But sadly, due to delayed prescriptions not everyone gets access to timely medications. According to FDA, about 20 to 30 percent of drug prescriptions are never completed, and 50 percent of patients don’t take their medications as prescribed by doctors due to delayed prescriptions. How to avoid delaying prescription? Let’s find out.

1. Make Sure the Prescription is Correct

Transcription errors, e.g., omissions or inaccuracies in prescription can be reduced by avoiding handwritten prescriptions and going for computerized prescriptions. Also, the pharmacists need to verify patient identity while entering the prescription into the computer. They need to know information about the patient, such as the patients age, allergies, concomitant medications or duplications, etc.

2. Be Careful About Similar Sounding Drugs

One-third of prescription mistakes are caused by similar medicine names. For instance, an older, more well-known drug might be mistaken for a new, unfamiliar one that sounds just like the old one. Reminders regarding these frequently misunderstood drug names should be added to the stock bottles or when entered the medicine names into the computer system.

3. Properly Checking All Prescriptions

One key tactic to prevent delayed prescriptions is frequent checking and double-checking of medicines. Errors can be minimized by comparing the written prescription with the final product as it appears on the computer, the label being printed, and the medication being filled.

4. Automatic Refill

The main causes of prescription errors at work occur due to multitasking or distractions. Automatic refill requests can minimize some of the distractions, which also minimizes dispensing mistakes.

5. Properly Inform the Patients

When providing patient counselling at the time of discharge from the hospital, reviewing medications beforehand and gathering crucial information in advance can help make sure that there is no delay in prescription filling.

Final Words

The chances of harmful drug interactions, medication errors and delayed prescriptions while prescribing drugs increase if the prescription is not handled by a professional. FourSquare can help pharmacies fill prescriptions quickly and accurately. Get in touch today for further information.