Emergency Supply

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dmd20000

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I work for cvs now and I see so many people that travel from different cities and states and come to me for emergency supplies even though they never been to my cvs location before. What should I do?
 
Tell them no and have the prescriber send a prescription. If not covered pay cash. Even if you were authorized to do it without prescriber approval, don't create unnecessary work for yourself (how would you generate a paper trail to prove that you did an "emergency dispensing") or reward lack of responsibility.

If you work at a store that sells 15 Rx for every tech hour I dunno why you would be ****ing with that ****.
 
What kind of meds? I wouldn't just fill emergency supplies for people traveling from out of state especially if they don't normally fill at my cvs… but if they fill at cvs and you can see their fill history, I wouldn't mind doing a 3-day supply for something like antiepileptic meds
 
dmd20000 said:
I work for cvs now and I see so many people that travel from different cities and states and come to me for emergency supplies even though they never been to my cvs location before. What should I do?
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How are they expecting you to do it if you can't print a label?
Tell them no.

You can either contact prescriber for a new Rx or transfer the existing one in
 
In Idaho pharmacists have prescriptive authority. I would just need to verify that they have had the prescription before. I told them to just bring their bottle and I would prescribe a 14 day supply and charge cash
 
Sine Cura said:
Tell them no and have the prescriber send a prescription. If not covered pay cash. Even if you were authorized to do it without prescriber approval, don't create unnecessary work for yourself (how would you generate a paper trail to prove that you did an "emergency dispensing") or reward lack of responsibility.

If you work at a store that sells 15 Rx for every tech hour I dunno why you would be ****ing with that ****.
Click to expand...
 
dmd20000 said:
I work for cvs now and I see so many people that travel from different cities and states and come to me for emergency supplies even though they never been to my cvs location before. What should I do?
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At Wag we can pull a script from a different Wag so it's easy to do an emergency supply.

I never do emergency supplies though for people that didn't get it from our chain.

Just look at how important a med is. I also don't do them during the day and always say let's give the office time to reply first before they close. That usually makes most people leave.
 
wagrxm2000 said:
At Wag we can pull a script from a different Wag so it's easy to do an emergency supply.

I never do emergency supplies though for people that didn't get it from our chain.

Just look at how important a med is. I also don't do them during the day and always say let's give the office time to reply first before they close. That usually makes most people leave.
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I agree. If it’s 9PM on a Friday after a holiday (IE last week) that’s fine. I’ll let it go.
 
Emergency supplies are judgement calls by the pharmacist and are exactly that. I would dispense a few days' worth if it's within your legal means and something the patient legitimately needs. By legal, I mean, no controls and the patient is actually one at my pharmacy. A lot of times, I get people coming in from a small town and need some blood pressure meds when they haven't been to us in over a year and I turn'em away. Now, if the patient's been filling consistently within the chain, and it's cheap, I would also dispense, even if I will not be able to fill the rest. Hopefully, this keeps the patient within the chain and they won't forget next time.

For insulin, if the patient frequently fills with us, I'd be willing to chance 1 pen only. Otherwise, I'd advise that they go to Walmart and pick up some of their novolin or go to an urgent care and get an rx for a short supply. If the drug is expensive, call the patient's regular pharmacy and see if they're willing to inter-store you the tablets you dispense when the patient gets their regular fill, that way your inventory is protected.
 
MilknCheerios said:
Emergency supplies are judgement calls by the pharmacist and are exactly that. I would dispense a few days' worth if it's within your legal means and something the patient legitimately needs. By legal, I mean, no controls and the patient is actually one at my pharmacy. A lot of times, I get people coming in from a small town and need some blood pressure meds when they haven't been to us in over a year and I turn'em away. Now, if the patient's been filling consistently within the chain, and it's cheap, I would also dispense, even if I will not be able to fill the rest. Hopefully, this keeps the patient within the chain and they won't forget next time.

For insulin, if the patient frequently fills with us, I'd be willing to chance 1 pen only. Otherwise, I'd advise that they go to Walmart and pick up some of their novolin or go to an urgent care and get an rx for a short supply. If the drug is expensive, call the patient's regular pharmacy and see if they're willing to inter-store you the tablets you dispense when the patient gets their regular fill, that way your inventory is protected.
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I had no idea about Novolin from walmart w/o prescription. Very interesting. I know bodybuilders sometimes use insulin for their cycles, is this where they are probably obtaining it?
 
Emergency supplies aren't a duty of a pharmacist. It's something we can do but not required. Deny them all.
 
I have had some questions regardingIdaho prescriptive authority. And it seems some people do not believe me..... I have attached Idaho’s law regarding prescriptive authority. Literally, I can pick up the phone and call in an Rx here and I am not afraid to do it.


HB 182
In furtherance of the prescribing authority set forth in Idaho Code Section 54-1704(5)(e), this bill removes the necessity for the Board to specifically authorize certain drugs, drug categories, and devices that may be prescribed.
Idaho pharmacists can now prescribe any drugs that are in accordance with Food and Drug Administration- approved labeling and are limited to conditions that:
♦ do not require a new diagnosis;
♦ are minor and generally self-limiting;
♦ have a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amend-
ments-waived test that is used to guide diagnosis or
clinical decision making; or
♦ in the professional judgment of the pharmacist,
threaten the health and safety of the patient should the prescription not be immediately dispensed. In such cases, only sufficient quantity may be provided until the patient is able to be seen by another provider.
Controlled substances, compounded drugs, and biologi- cal products cannot be prescribed by a pharmacist.
All of the other rules and requirements around indepen- dent prescriptive authority for pharmacists remain intact. See IDAPA 27.01.04.020 for more information.

So - as long as they have had the Rx before or have an existing diagnosis.
 
JustFillIt said:
I have had some questions regardingIdaho prescriptive authority. And it seems some people do not believe me..... I have attached Idaho’s law regarding prescriptive authority. Literally, I can pick up the phone and call in an Rx here and I am not afraid to do it.


HB 182
In furtherance of the prescribing authority set forth in Idaho Code Section 54-1704(5)(e), this bill removes the necessity for the Board to specifically authorize certain drugs, drug categories, and devices that may be prescribed.
Idaho pharmacists can now prescribe any drugs that are in accordance with Food and Drug Administration- approved labeling and are limited to conditions that:
♦ do not require a new diagnosis;
♦ are minor and generally self-limiting;
♦ have a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amend-
ments-waived test that is used to guide diagnosis or
clinical decision making; or
♦ in the professional judgment of the pharmacist,
threaten the health and safety of the patient should the prescription not be immediately dispensed. In such cases, only sufficient quantity may be provided until the patient is able to be seen by another provider.
Controlled substances, compounded drugs, and biologi- cal products cannot be prescribed by a pharmacist.
All of the other rules and requirements around indepen- dent prescriptive authority for pharmacists remain intact. See IDAPA 27.01.04.020 for more information.

So - as long as they have had the Rx before or have an existing diagnosis.
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Congrats on exponentially increasing your liability for $0
 
JustFillIt said:
I do it because I have balls?

Liability.... don’t be a scaredy cat! I have insurances and a lawyer on my monthly payroll for that!
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If I wanted to approve refills I would've become a medical assistant or LVN
 
CetiAlphaFive said:
If I wanted to approve refills I would've become a medical assistant or LVN
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Geeze... I do it for the glory...

You should see the look on people’s faces when they have a UTI or are out of their medication, I just pull my phone out in front of them and call them in a rx... They look at me like I’m a hero. Then I go home and get some. It’s great for the ego.

Just sayin.. you keep being a negative Nancy.
 
JustFillIt said:
Geeze... I do it for the glory...

You should see the look on people’s faces when they have a UTI or are out of their medication, I just pull my phone out in front of them and call them in a rx... They look at me like I’m a hero. Then I go home and get some. It’s great for the ego.

Just sayin.. you keep being a negative Nancy.
Click to expand...

You call in an Rx when they show up and you diagnose them with a UTI?
 
rxkrafted said:
You should open up your own clinic Dr. JustFillIt. You got a team of lawyers and insurance too
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Maybe... if that’s the kind of work I want to do I could. I have a very close friend who is a partner in a medical clinic run by pharmacists.

Problem with people like you is you don’t understand potential - or you just don’t feel good enough to take the reigns of opportunity. You just like to sit back and teehee/giggle at other people’s ambition and try to bring others down with snide comments like Dr. Justfillit

get out of the way!
 
JustFillIt said:
Maybe... if that’s the kind of work I want to do I could. I have a very close friend who is a partner in a medical clinic run by pharmacists.

Problem with people like you is you don’t understand potential - or you just don’t feel good enough to take the reigns of opportunity
Click to expand...

Problem with people like you is that you cross boundaries and do it for "glory" like you mentioned. If you wanted to diagnose people with UTI and prescribe stuff to them, you should have gone a different route bud. I bet you ask your patients to call you doctor huh?
 
rxkrafted said:
Problem with people like you is that you cross boundaries and do it for "glory" like you mentioned. If you wanted to diagnose people with UTI and prescribe stuff to them, you should have gone a different route bud. I bet you ask your patients to call you doctor huh?
Click to expand...

I Tell your mom to call me doctor!
 
It's funny because you are diagnose them, prescribe them meds, then dispense them. You're a one man show bro. Just curious but what do you typically prescribe them?
 
rxkrafted said:
It's funny because you are diagnose them, prescribe them meds, then dispense them. You're a one man show bro. Just curious but what do you typically prescribe them?
Click to expand...

No dude I’m not going to walk into your intellectual trap..

But, you do got it wrong.
 
This Idaho law sounds pretty vague....so pharmacists can prescribe for a drug that does not require a new diagnosis, but that is also self-limiting and minor. But anything that is self-limiting, would be new on reoccurence and require a new diagnosis? I don't do clia-waved testing, so maybe I'm missing something obvious, but I'm not aware of any that would diagnosis a condition that was minor and self-limiting. Blood glucose-no. Blood pressure-no.

The only use I could see of that law, is it codifies giving emergency supplies.

I get what you are thinking, JustFillit, if a poorly trained NP can prescribe, why not you? Unfortunately, as has been mentioned on this board, pharmacy missed that boat decades ago, and the boat ain't coming back. I don't see how prescribing antibiotics would be allowed by allowed by the Idaho law, but obviously you would (hopefully) know Idaho law better than me, and what it allows. As others have said, I don't know that standard pharmacist insurance covers writing prescriptions, I'd definitely check with your insurer and tread carefully. But hey, that's just me, if you want to live dangerously, go for it.
 
According to the Idaho law you referenced, you can prescribe if the condition" is minor and self-limiting yet you went ahead and played doctor by diagnosing them with UTIs. I could see how you could get away with writing for prescription strength pyridium x 2 days for urinary discomfort but I don't think prescribing antibiotics for a diagnosis you made yourself fits.
 
My goodness you guys... you should know that I am joking. I have never prescribed for a UTI, or anything else for that matter - although I could.

I think it’s worth shedding light on the fact that even when we win as pharmacists, there is still a whole group of people that just want to cross their arms and stomp their feet and complain about how bad it is.

However I have used this law many times for emergency supply.

Lighten up
 
Last edited:
BidingMyTime said:
This Idaho law sounds pretty vague....so pharmacists can prescribe for a drug that does not require a new diagnosis, but that is also self-limiting and minor. But anything that is self-limiting, would be new on reoccurence and require a new diagnosis? I don't do clia-waved testing, so maybe I'm missing something obvious, but I'm not aware of any that would diagnosis a condition that was minor and self-limiting. Blood glucose-no. Blood pressure-no.

The only use I could see of that law, is it codifies giving emergency supplies.

I get what you are thinking, JustFillit, if a poorly trained NP can prescribe, why not you? Unfortunately, as has been mentioned on this board, pharmacy missed that boat decades ago, and the boat ain't coming back. I don't see how prescribing antibiotics would be allowed by allowed by the Idaho law, but obviously you would (hopefully) know Idaho law better than me, and what it allows. As others have said, I don't know that standard pharmacist insurance covers writing prescriptions, I'd definitely check with your insurer and tread carefully. But hey, that's just me, if you want to live dangerously, go for it.
Click to expand...
I'm no lawyer, but the law reads as if it limits it to conditions x AND y AND z, not x OR y OR z
 
Maybe if was warfarin and they had their bottle for proof... maybe
 
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