Resolution #6(6) APhA-ASP supports the expansion of current transfer prescription protocols to include all information deemed necessary about a patient’s current medication profile during transfer of a prescription or prescriptions to a new pharmacy.

R2 PRT: Sufficient Information for Transfer Prescriptions ; Wording/action:
(6) APhA-ASP supports the expansion of current transfer prescription protocols to include all information deemed necessary about a patient’s current medication profile during transfer of a prescription or prescriptions to a new pharmacy. This information includes most importantly, a current medication list the patient is receiving from the pharmacy of origin to the new pharmacy.

Reasons for the Action(s) / Pros and Cons:

Currently most transfer calls only convey enough information to cover the specific prescription(s) in question. But, because patients opt to use multiple pharmacies, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep a complete and accurate medication profile on record. So, it becomes very important to include information including, but not limited to a patient’s complete medication list at the time of transfer.

If left in the hands of patients, medication reporting is vague and often incorrect at times. They might not remember all of their medications or even worse, provide incorrect information. The computer system will not alert the pharmacist receiving the transfer of a potentially life-threatening interaction, as the previous medication list is in the other pharmacy’s computer database.

If this was required rather than optional or done when deemed necessary, the rate of serious consequences of drug interactions and inadequate patient counseling would decrease due to the increased amount of vital information.

As poly-pharmacy is increasing in our profession, it is necessary for us to come up with protocols to keep as much of a patient’s pharmacy records together as possible, this will only benefit the patient in the end!

Cons:
Initial resistance over yet another thing for pharmacists to do, when in reality, they should do this for each and every new prescription- this just doesn’t happen.

Jennifer Caggiano ; 570-470-0820 ; jmc74@temple.edu ; Temple University School of Pharmacy