Feel bad about this

[Charcoales]

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Seems like we get 5-10 calls a day from this one pharmacy that wants med histories.. only problem is they have lists of 5-10 at a time, many have multiple meds and you have to take very slowly like they are hand writing all this info down, and they dont like to get faxes.... Sometimes I feel I have to ignore their calls to get anything done... Is that bad?

 

[zelman]

Seems like we get 5-10 calls a day from this one pharmacy that wants med histories.. only problem is they have lists of 5-10 at a time, many have multiple meds and you have to take very slowly like they are hand writing all this info down, and they dont like to get faxes.... Sometimes I feel I have to ignore their calls to get anything done... Is that bad?

If they don't want faxes, offer to mail them.

But why is a pharmacy getting so many med histories? Isn't that usually something's doctors and hospitals ask for?

 

[Charcoales]

If they don't want faxes, offer to mail them.

But why is a pharmacy getting so many med histories? Isn't that usually something's doctors and hospitals ask for?

I asked them, they're the pharmacy attached to the hospital getting med history for admins.

I just wish they wouldn't call during overnught each call is like 10 min and it feels like they call every few hours

 

[Dred Pirate]

I asked them, they're the pharmacy attached to the hospital getting med history for admins.

I just wish they wouldn't call during overnught each call is like 10 min and it feels like they call every few hours

ya - they are likely med rec techs in an ED or something.

This is a huge problem (getting an accurate med history) because patients never seem to know what they are on. Often techs are required to have two sources of information (pt + pill bottles, calling pharmacy, Long term MAR), etd

 

[Rockinacoustic]

From the health system perspective, I would say <5% of the time i need a med history ASAP to help with care (i.e. patient ran out of seizure meds, MD wants to d/c but patient doesn't know what they're on... patient reportedly on a thinner and is a trauma, etc.) All other scenarios it would be nice to know the details, but won't change management in the overnight hours from presentation to floor admission.

It sounds like you need to be frank with these callers- either accept faxes of the med profiles or wait until the daytime to speak to someone in detail.

 

[Dred Pirate]

From the health system perspective, I would say <5% of the time i need a med history ASAP to help with care (i.e. patient ran out of seizure meds, MD wants to d/c but patient doesn't know what they're on... patient reportedly on a thinner and is a trauma, etc.) All other scenarios it would be nice to know the details, but won't change management in the overnight hours from presentation to floor admission.

It sounds like you need to be frank with these callers- either accept faxes of the med profiles or wait until the daytime to speak to someone in detail.

not asap for pt care - but asap when you have a attending breathing down your techs neck because they get bonus's based on how fast they admit (or more likely, negative marks if they are too slow)

 

[owlegrad]

"Sorry, I can't possibly give you this patient's PHI over the phone unless the patient has signed a release stating that I may or you send me proof that the patient is incapable of doing so AND that you are providing medical care and need this information for their treatment. Incidentally if you would like I could fax this information over to you rather than going through all that trouble?" Problem solved.

That is a little bit tongue-in-check but seriously, why let them make more work for you? Make it their problem, don't let them make it your problem. I would just straight up tell them I am too busy to read off their med history and their only option is to accept the information by fax (which is the safer way to transmit this information anyway) or to try their luck with the next pharmacist. Easy.

 

[Rouelle]

“They don’t like to get faxes” and you don’t like wasting time giving verbals. You have something they want...give it in the way convenient for you. Sounds rude, but if it’s as big of a problem as you describe, they can adapt.

 

[Dred Pirate]

"Sorry, I can't possibly give you this patient's PHI over the phone unless the patient has signed a release stating that I may or you send me proof that the patient is incapable of doing so AND that you are providing medical care and need this information for their treatment. Incidentally if you would like I could fax this information over to you rather than going through all that trouble?" Problem solved.

well - that is technically lying - you don't need a release - plus if you ask for a release to give it verbally you need a release to fax it

 

[owlegrad]

not asap for pt care - but asap when you have a attending breathing down your techs neck because they get bonus's based on how fast they admit (or more likely, negative marks if they are too slow)

For your point, I hope any pharmacist would be able to triage the difference from an urgent patient care need (e.g., needing to know which blood thinner a patient is on) and a med tech wanting to get a whole history for paperwork's sake. I obviously wouldn't make an ER wait for a fax for an urgent need, nor would I suggest that to anyone else. I am taking at face value that the requests are just routine and non-urgent.

 

[Dred Pirate]

For your point, I hope any pharmacist would be able to triage the difference from an urgent patient care need (e.g., needing to know which blood thinner a patient is on) and a med tech wanting to get a whole history for paperwork's sake. I obviously wouldn't make an ER wait for a fax for an urgent need, nor would I suggest that to anyone else. I am taking at face value that the requests are just routine and non-urgent.

agree exactly - our techs take faxes 99% of the time, pharmacies generally aren't our problem, the LTC's are.

 

[owlegrad]

well - that is technically lying - you don't need a release - plus if you ask for a release to give it verbally you need a release to fax it

You did see the part where I said it was kinda tongue-in-check, right? Although to play this game you could say "Since I am faxing it to a healthcare provider I won't need the waiver".

Plus how do you know the caller is really calling from the hospital (well most people have caller ID, but for example CVS doesn't)? You really probably should get the request in writing on official letterhead...

 

[Dred Pirate]

You did see the part where I said it was kinda tongue-in-check, right? Although to play this game you could say "Since I am faxing it to a healthcare provider I won't need the waiver".

Plus how do you know the caller is really calling from the hospital (well most people have caller ID, but for example CVS doesn't)? You really probably should get the request in writing on official letterhead...

I got it - I just wanted to point out the fallacy 🙂 agree it is really easy for someone to "pull on over" on a retail place asking for this info -ironically no one ever (rarely) asks me to confirm anything other than DOB. But ya, we got off track. The OP should just say I will fax you the info to the # I have on file to ensure it is going to a hospital.

 

[Digsbe]

"Sorry, I can't possibly give you this patient's PHI over the phone unless the patient has signed a release stating that I may or you send me proof that the patient is incapable of doing so AND that you are providing medical care and need this information for their treatment. Incidentally if you would like I could fax this information over to you rather than going through all that trouble?" Problem solved.

That is a little bit tongue-in-check but seriously, why let them make more work for you? Make it their problem, don't let them make it your problem. I would just straight up tell them I am too busy to read off their med history and their only option is to accept the information by fax (which is the safer way to transmit this information anyway) or to try their luck with the next pharmacist. Easy.

Ask to speak to the pharmacist each time instead of the tech, after about a week the problem will be solved 😉

I'm sure they don't have about an hour out of their day to copy down med histories and will soon decide to accept faxes. I understand urgent needs, but oftentimes you can't afford to be stuck on the phone for 10 minutes per patient giving details for an admission.

Reminds me of the time another pharmacist called me 3 minutes before we closed requesting 14 transfers...

 

[lord999]

Long story short, you can actually *charge* the hospital for the records. While HIPAA does provide for a provider-to-provider interaction, it doesn't have to be free. Also, echo the advice that if this is a request, it better be the pharmacist or it's not a talk (they have to spend the time themselves too). Also, if it's a hospital, they can use the SureScripts interface with CVS or Walgreens to pulls the records over; they should not take oral histories unless there is no other way. And if it's VA, please let me know, and I'll take care of that internally (there is a specific order NOT to do that for Med Rec, there is a different way about it in procedure).

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

Seems like we get 5-10 calls a day from this one pharmacy that wants med histories.. only problem is they have lists of 5-10 at a time, many have multiple meds and you have to take very slowly like they are hand writing all this info down, and they dont like to get faxes.... Sometimes I feel I have to ignore their calls to get anything done... Is that bad?

Are you joking?
"They don't like to get faxes"

Why do you act like these people have power over you?
Do you flinch when someone sneezes in public?

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

Ask to speak to the pharmacist each time instead of the tech, after about a week the problem will be solved 😉
I'm sure they don't have about an hour out of their day to copy down med histories and will soon decide to accept faxes. I understand urgent needs, but oftentimes you can't afford to be stuck on the phone for 10 minutes per patient giving details for an admission.
Reminds me of the time another pharmacist called me 3 minutes before we closed requesting 14 transfers...

They would've gotten faxes from me whether they liked it or not

 

[Charcoales]

I'm just gonna send faxes or ask to speak to their RPh an hour a day we can both use

 

[mustang sally]

They just need to accept faxes if they want the med lists.

If they have a couple of quick questions that they need clarification on, that's one thing. Otherwise, fax away.