Best Method for Each Step
| Steps in the Prescription Refill Process | Best Method |
|---|---|
| Step 1. Patient access to the system | Patients should contact the pharmacy first when a refill is needed. |
| Step 2. Communication with the pharmacy | Communication should be by FAX and initiated by the pharmacy. |
| Step 3. Decision-making | Least costly method is to have nurse or medical assistant make decisions regarding refills. Training with the physician, including feedback regarding decisions will improve accuracy. Written protocols were associated with increased error rates. |
| Step 4. Notification of the patient | The pharmacy should notify the patient regarding the prescription refill decision. |
| Step 5. Documentation | Should be done by the decision-maker at the time of the decision. An EMR can make this more efficient. |