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A Method of Renewing Prescriptions from your Doctors
A Method of Renewing Prescriptions from your Doctors
Since you guys are so nice, I would like to share with you a mechanism of renewing prescriptions from your doctor that has been very well liked. It’s also relatively painless for all parties. It was developed primarily because of a large number of medications that needed to be managed and I needed something easier and more convienient than "calling their prescription line". Only a few prescriptions are shown to illustrate the technique.
It can be used as a "list of medications that your currently taking" which other medical providers routinely ask for. I use a more comprehensive document which contains other "medical history" information for that. The .PDF version of a sample document is also shown because it can be opened within a browser.
Basically what I do is print two copies of the list. One copy doesn’t contain the last page that contain the so called "address labels".
The formatting is designed so the last page is odd and it printed on a separate piece of paper since I print duplex. In order to get the file size down, some formatting was lost. If you print duplex use the Insert/Break/Section Break/Odd page before the last page.
The last page has essentially mailing labels. There are two in bold and two in italic. The bold characters are the address and the italics characters are the return address. This helps avoid placement errors. The addresses are cut out to make makeshift labels. The makeshift labels are then taped to the envelopes. The italic labels are return addresses.
I pace one copy in the envelope that goes to the doctor’s office and keep one for myself. I also put the SASE in the envelope and mail. Within a few days I have my prescriptions. If I don't use the SASE, the prescriptions would still be mailed to me, but the trip would be longer. The letter would have to travel from his office through interoffice mail to the hospital where he is affiliated, the would add the proper postage and then off to outgoing mail.
Controlled substances usually have to either be picked up by 7 days or postmarked by 7 days. They also require the doctor’s DEA number, thus I don’t want the SASE mailed by the doctor’s office on a Friday.
The list is arranged by “Controlled substances” and “Normal Prescriptions” and within each category by brand name with the generic name in parenthesis. It’s gone through quite a bit of development. With the event of 30 day / 90 day supply pharmacy, some drugs are written as 90 day supply without a specific quantity.
The way the pharmacies do things like Insulin is quite nuts. There may be five 300 ml pens in a package and you get 3 packages but only a 75 day supply. They may not say 15 ml, qty #3, or they could say 45 ml. It get’s confusing, so you can write notes to that effect. I had one pharmacy which could only type in whole numbers. The mail order pharmacy and your local pharmacy may use different systems. This is why 90 day supply is best. The notes can tell you how many boxes or bottles you get. Pen needles, for instance, usually come in a 100 count package yet it’s counted as 90 days. All the nuances of the particular drug companies will eventually become apparent. Some manufacturers are changing the quantities to 90 in a box. One particular thing comes in packages of 102’s, but it’s still counted as 90 even if you get multiple boxes, the effective number in the box is 102.
I like to make prescription ordering a one-shop deal. Your PCP should be aware of any drugs specialists prescribe and they MAY be willing to prescribe the routine meds. You can place the original doctor’s name as a note as well. If you are getting any controlled substances always get a script from the same doctor. Don’t keep switching. Make sure that the specialist knows the PCP is prescribing the medications.
It's probably not worth the effort if your taking a few medications, but the SASE technique is fast, avoids errors and saves a trip to the doctor's office to pick up a prescription especially if that prescription needs to be mailed.
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