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Is Your License at Risk??? E-PRESCRIBING IS SENDING WRONG INFO, ARE YOU REPORTING IT?

E-PRESCRIBING IS SENDING WRONG INFORMATION, BUT FEW ARE REPORTING IT!

The OPA E-Prescribing Task Force is very concerned about the large number of pharmacists who have encountered problems with e-prescribing.  These problems include: the wrong drug transmitted; sigs and drugs truncated (cut off, not complete); wrong sigs coming through; physicians using the "comments" section to put the sig they really want while leaving the prepopulated sig on the prescription; wrong strength, etc.  We've heard of an example of a physician transmitting an antibiotic capsule product, but an octic solution appearing on the pharmacy computer!  Pharmacists are correcting these problems, but the overall problem will not be fixed without us reporting the problems to the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy, which needs the information, so they can get to the cause.  They will find out what system the physician is using, then contact the company to correct the problem.

What if an error is not caught and a pharmacist goes ahead and fills the prescription?  We can be sure that, if the patient is injured, the pharmacist holds liability with a lawsuit or possible Board action.  

We MUST ensure these systems work properly, or WE are at risk, and so are our patients. Be sure the Board hears from you, regardless of what type of electronic system is involved, be it from community independent or chain, hospital, nursing home, or any other practice site.  

Here's what you should report to the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy:  the date, time, drug, physician, and problem.  Be sure to educate all staffers in the pharmacy to be aware of the concern.  Keep OPA informed, but with HIPAA in mind.

You can mail or fax examples of the problems you are encountering to:

Ohio State Board of Pharmacy
77 South High Street, Room 1702
Columbus, OH 43215-6126
Attention: Bill Winsley, R.Ph.
Executive Director
Telephone:  614.466.4143
Fax:  614.752.4836