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Judi Lynn

(160,218 posts)
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 07:29 PM Mar 2016

As NY demands paperless prescribing, doctors are mixed

Source: Associated Press

Mar 19, 3:23 PM EDT

As NY demands paperless prescribing, doctors are mixed

By JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- The scribbled, cryptic doctor's prescription is headed toward eradication in New York, where the nation's toughest paperless-prescribing requirement takes effect this month.

Instead of handing patients slips of paper, physicians soon must electronically send orders directly to pharmacies for everything from antibiotics to cholesterol pills to painkillers, with some exceptions. Otherwise, prescribers face the possibility of fines, license loss or even jail.

The requirement is meant to fight painkiller abuse, reduce errors and expand a practice that doctors and patients often find convenient. But physicians say digital scripts can present roadblocks for some patients and doctors shouldn't have to fear punishment over a prescription format.

"When it works, it's seamless," says New York County Medical Society President Dr. Michael T. Goldstein, an ophthalmologist who issues many prescriptions electronically himself. "But there are circumstances where it doesn't work, and patients suffer."

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PAPERLESS_PRESCRIPTIONS_NYOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-03-19-15-23-57

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As NY demands paperless prescribing, doctors are mixed (Original Post) Judi Lynn Mar 2016 OP
Too many people were finding scrip pads already signed... Archae Mar 2016 #1
I haven't had a paper prescription in pushing a decade... fullautohotdog Mar 2016 #2
I would HATE it - not the paperless part but for lack of choice csziggy Mar 2016 #3
Thanks for the tips. I agree on the need to shop around, prices vary immensely progree Mar 2016 #10
I can recommend GoodRX.com - if you register and list your medications csziggy Mar 2016 #13
I've read good things about goodrx.com in the AARP Bulletin and ConsumerReports (3/16) progree Mar 2016 #14
Just another way to get more people easy access to psychoactive drugs. highoverheadspace Mar 2016 #4
Our clinic makes you hand carry a pain script to the pharmacy. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2016 #5
now federal law, I believe greymouse Mar 2016 #16
Oxycodne has a 3.5 hour half life, it should show up. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2016 #18
We have that here in Ca, and we hate it DJ13 Mar 2016 #6
My Kaiser Hmo never gives out prescriptions. kimbutgar Mar 2016 #8
That happened to me recently -- wrong dosage, and another time, it was out of stock at the pharmacy progree Mar 2016 #11
I get a printout of all my prescriptions everytime I visit the clinic. Thor_MN Mar 2016 #17
I cannot remember the last time I saw a paper prescription Skittles Mar 2016 #7
Haven't seen one in years. Igel Mar 2016 #12
Have not had one in decades. oldandhappy Mar 2016 #9
Paper is good if the drugs are expensive JustABozoOnThisBus Mar 2016 #15
You can shop around even if the pharmacy has filled the script. dixiegrrrrl Mar 2016 #19
to get the prices elsewhere greymouse Mar 2016 #20

Archae

(46,262 posts)
1. Too many people were finding scrip pads already signed...
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 07:39 PM
Mar 2016

A doctor would sign a scrip pad, so the nurse could write out the scrips.

Those pads were worth their weight in gold on the street.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
3. I would HATE it - not the paperless part but for lack of choice
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 07:42 PM
Mar 2016

For some of my prescriptions I have had to shop around to get the best price. For instance, a prescription I had last year cost me almost $300 at the pharmacy I usually got to but with a Good Rx coupon it was on $30 at CVS.

If I had to have the doctor send the prescription in electronically, I would have to contact my regular pharmacy for pricing AFTER the prescription had been submitted. If their price was high, then I would have to shop around (though GodRx.com makes that easy), have the prescription transferred to the lower price pharmacy and deal with the delay. I could see situations where the restrictions on opiods and other drugs would make transferring a prescription to a lower priced provider impossible.

Right now, my doctor's office does electronically submit (maybe fax) most prescriptions to my regular pharmacy - but if I request they will write a physical script that I can carry in when I decide where to have it filled.

csziggy

(34,120 posts)
13. I can recommend GoodRX.com - if you register and list your medications
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 12:23 AM
Mar 2016

They will send you email news updates about your medicines and you can quickly check prices for several pharmacies in your area.

Plus, you can get some great discounts on some medicines. Not all are discounted - my sister has a very expensive one and GoodRx.com did not have any discounts for it.

This year our new insurance has much better coverage for all my medicines - all but one is tier one and has the lowest co-pay. The other is tier two and is $23 a month - that's the one that was nearly $300 before! So I don't need GoodRx.com this year. Next year my husband and I go on Medicare so that may change.

progree

(10,864 posts)
14. I've read good things about goodrx.com in the AARP Bulletin and ConsumerReports (3/16)
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 12:34 AM
Mar 2016

[font color = blue]>>Next year my husband and I go on Medicare<<[/font]

Me too, well, at the end of this year

 

highoverheadspace

(307 posts)
4. Just another way to get more people easy access to psychoactive drugs.
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 08:01 PM
Mar 2016

As Joe Rogan said regarding pharmaceutical companies and their congressional tools "they don't mind people being on drugs, as long as they are their drugs".

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
5. Our clinic makes you hand carry a pain script to the pharmacy.
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 08:31 PM
Mar 2016

All other scripts are electronic.
We have quickly learned to make our Dr. appts no later than Tuesday so we have the rest of the week to straighten out the apparently very very steep learning curve of the Dr.'s staff and the pharmacy staff in using computers.
Naturally they use a Windows program and naturally the program freezes if used more than 5 minutes, etc etc.

Interestingly, the pharmacy can fill the pain meds script and then deliver to the house.....


a side note...in a DU discussion of the new opioid laws, it was reported that some Dr.s make a patient do a blood test before they will refill the script.
Mr. Dixie could not figure out why.
I told him that a negative result would indicate the patient was selling the pills.
Without any hesitation Mr. Dixie said.." all you gotta do is take one the morning of the Dr. appt".


Exactly.....and if WE figured that out in a nano-second, surely the people selling their scripts have.

greymouse

(872 posts)
16. now federal law, I believe
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 08:25 AM
Mar 2016

Prescriptions for some pain meds have to be written and hand carried to the pharmacy. No more the doctor sends it in.

I'm not sure Mr. Dixie is correct, some meds build up in the blood over time. It may be that one pill wouldn't reach the blood level from sustained use.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
18. Oxycodne has a 3.5 hour half life, it should show up.
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 12:27 PM
Mar 2016

Not that we are planning anything, but having worked in the addiction field for many years, I was merely pointing out any one with half a brain could easily manage to test positive when they needed to and negative when they needed to, so having the Dr. act as the police, besides seriously damaging the Dr.-patient
relationship, would be ineffective for the stated purpose of curtailing illegal use.

DJ13

(23,671 posts)
6. We have that here in Ca, and we hate it
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 08:33 PM
Mar 2016

There have been multiple instances where either my Dr or my wife's Dr has made an error on either the dosage or quantity, but you never know until you finally pick up the prescription.

Then you have to go back to the Dr's office and get it changed.

With a written prescription at least you can (try) and read it before leaving the office.

At the least they need to give the patient a computer print out of the prescriptions sent to the pharmacy so it can be checked ahead of time.

kimbutgar

(20,882 posts)
8. My Kaiser Hmo never gives out prescriptions.
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 10:33 PM
Mar 2016

The doctors orders the med online and you then pick it up. You can request your prescription sent electronically. Also you get a paper record of what you are prescribed to check for accuracy.

progree

(10,864 posts)
11. That happened to me recently -- wrong dosage, and another time, it was out of stock at the pharmacy
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 11:28 PM
Mar 2016

(for a common medication) and I made the trip to the pharmacy only to be told "sorry, come back tomorrow".

Since then I've learned that I can check both the clinic's computer (the clinic's MyAccount thingy has what was prescribed), and also the pharmacy's computer where the prescription was sent (CVS), to make sure it was done right. And I signed up for the pharmacy's text alerts that tell me when a prescription is ready to pick up.

It would also give me a heads-up if something new is prescribed -- I can check on whether it is expensive or not.

 

Thor_MN

(11,843 posts)
17. I get a printout of all my prescriptions everytime I visit the clinic.
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 09:13 AM
Mar 2016

Even if I'm not there for the purpose of adjusting meds, they print it when I get there, automatically. I also have it on their app on my phone. If there is a change, it's on my phone as soon as they update and send it to the pharmacy, as well as a new printout.

I much prefer having the digital prescription sent to the pharmacy, it's ready by the time I get there from the clinic. Instead of trying to decipher a scrawled, handwritten slip, it's unmistakable what and how much has been prescribed.

Igel

(35,197 posts)
12. Haven't seen one in years.
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 12:19 AM
Mar 2016

On the other hand, I've had to try to specify which pharmacy I would pick up the script at. Hard, when you don't know the area between you and the doctor.

Or you describe it correctly, but don't have the address. Doctor send script to wrong pharmacy.

Or pharmacy was out of the med. Oops.

Or worse, pharmacy was authorized to use generic. But was out of generic, so you get brand-name. Ouch.

Or wrong dosage. Entered in wrong by doctor. Or nurse.

Or electronic prescription functionality was down through Internet or software error. "Sorry, it'll take a day or two to fix." "Can't you call it in?" "No." "No paper prescription?" "No. It'll take a day or two to fix. Call the pharmacy to see if the script went through." Argh.

My favorite time was when I had a doctor's appointment just before leaving town. Got prescription. Could have filled it elsewhere, but it had to be electronic. Didn't have time to get it filled, had to travel and arrange to have it transferred. Then return to the pharmacy when it was transferred and filled.

Every right imposes an obligation. Every "fix" imposes some burden. It's a question of who benefits and who pays for that benefit.

oldandhappy

(6,719 posts)
9. Have not had one in decades.
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 11:19 PM
Mar 2016

Doc puts Rx in the computer and I stop at the drug store on the way home and pick it up. Easy.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,283 posts)
15. Paper is good if the drugs are expensive
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 08:02 AM
Mar 2016

then you can shop around.

Or (for those of us in the cold north), you can drive over to Canada and get it filled cheaper.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
19. You can shop around even if the pharmacy has filled the script.
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 12:51 PM
Mar 2016

When you go in to pick it up, you can open the bag and examine the bottle, and you know the price at the same time, so if price is too much, ask them to hold
script, and check out other sources.
If you find a better source, you can ask your current pharmacy if they will match it,
If not, the pharmacy you want to buy it from asks your old pharmacy for the script, and fills it.

Most of us who get regular scripts know them, we have the old bottle with that info, and we know the prices, so it is pretty easy to call elsewhere and comparison shop.

Granted, living in a small town as i do, it is pretty easy to do the above.
Not as easy in a city, but in a city , there is more price competition.

greymouse

(872 posts)
20. to get the prices elsewhere
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 02:30 PM
Mar 2016

you have to bring in your insurance cards so the other pharmacies can run it through. That can cause a rejection rather than a price to pop out if the other place has already filled it.

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