Re: Ok, another question....

[Guest guest]

Hardcopies of what?

Pharmacies have to keep hard copies of different things for different

time frames. But almost everything (prescriptions, order records,

filling records, etc) is a minimum of like 3 years.

If they may be any of those, call the state board, and suggest an

inspection. They make pharmacies produce information while the board

representative is there, and they will flip through them.

Della

On 9/16/06, cclantz01 <cclantz01@...> wrote:

> I have this " friend " that witnessed the PIC {Pharmacist in Charge}

> throw away hard copies that were only a few days old, 2 weeks old, at

> the most, because they were cluttering the computer...Aren't these

> still considered legal documents?

>

>

[Guest guest]

Della,

I'm assuming they were scripts that were thrown away. She said they

were lieing by the computer, and he tossed them, instead filing them

or having one of the techs file them.

> > I have this " friend " that witnessed the PIC {Pharmacist in

Charge}

> > throw away hard copies that were only a few days old, 2 weeks

old, at

> > the most, because they were cluttering the computer...Aren't these

> > still considered legal documents?

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Cclantz01,

It depends.

Sometimes patients don't want prescriptions because they aren't covered under

their insurance and will say just throw it away.

Other times the insurance doesn't cover what the doctor wrote for and the

pharmacist calls to change it to something that is covered. He may have done

that and taken the new rx as a phone in and threw away the old one.

The patient may have handed in an expired rx. The pharmacist calls the md to

verify the validity and confirm that it can be filled and then rewrites it as a

new script with a valid date.

I've had patients leave prescriptions on the drop off counter and not tell

anyone and then when I find them I can't read the name to fill it. I put those

on a clip near my computer. After a month or two if no one comes in to claim

them I throw them away.

Also, patients have been known to alter controlled and narcotic scripts. I've

called the doctor's office to verify the script and it was altered and the

doctor said to refuse the patient and destroy the script.

Those are a few of the reasons I know of where we (my pharmacy staff) has thrown

away what are " new " scripts.

Have a great day!!

--

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely

in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways,

champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up,

totally worn out and screaming " WOO HOO - what a ride! "

-------------- Original message --------------

From: " cclantz01 " <cclantz01@...>

I have this " friend " that witnessed the PIC {Pharmacist in Charge}

throw away hard copies that were only a few days old, 2 weeks old, at

the most, because they were cluttering the computer...Aren't these

still considered legal documents?

[Guest guest]

THANK YOU to TEXPERT in New Jersey for your input and experience on

Rx's t hat a pharmacists asks you to throw away or you witness doing it.

THANK YOU to RESIDENT RPh Della, for your input on the law and retail

experience and sharing the point of view from a pharmacust.

I wanted to answer this one, but I knew my hospital experience would limit the

impact that my 'answer regarding legality' would have. So I waited for a person

in retail to answer this, and this just proves that I can always count on

TEXPERTS and DELLA.

I appreciate your continued service to the site, the members, society and to me.

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Founder/Owner

cphtgenius@... wrote: Hi Cclantz01,

It depends.

Sometimes patients don't want prescriptions because they aren't covered under

their insurance and will say just throw it away.

Other times the insurance doesn't cover what the doctor wrote for and the

pharmacist calls to change it to something that is covered. He may have done

that and taken the new rx as a phone in and threw away the old one.

The patient may have handed in an expired rx. The pharmacist calls the md to

verify the validity and confirm that it can be filled and then rewrites it as a

new script with a valid date.

I've had patients leave prescriptions on the drop off counter and not tell

anyone and then when I find them I can't read the name to fill it. I put those

on a clip near my computer. After a month or two if no one comes in to claim

them I throw them away.

Also, patients have been known to alter controlled and narcotic scripts. I've

called the doctor's office to verify the script and it was altered and the

doctor said to refuse the patient and destroy the script.

Those are a few of the reasons I know of where we (my pharmacy staff) has

thrown away what are " new " scripts.

Have a great day!!

--

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely

in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways,

champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up,

totally worn out and screaming " WOO HOO - what a ride! "

-------------- Original message --------------

From: " cclantz01 " <cclantz01@...>

I have this " friend " that witnessed the PIC {Pharmacist in Charge}

throw away hard copies that were only a few days old, 2 weeks old, at

the most, because they were cluttering the computer...Aren't these

still considered legal documents?

[Guest guest]

Jeanetta & Group Members,

Here is an interesting personal example that has to do with with many

things about an original script other than H.I.P.P.A., Patient

Sensitive Information, and Corporate Policy vs. Law:

How about a patient at drop off handing me a script for Duragesic

(Fentanyl Patches)...

WITH REFILLS!!!!!!!

True Story:

On weekends, we have only one Tech. (Drop Off/Intake), one PA

(Cashier), and the Pharmacist who handles both Production and

Verification.

This past Saturday I was presented with a script for Duragesic 50

from a patient that I had never encountered from a local Oncologist

whose handwriting is extremely familiar to me.

In Texas we have the 'safety script' pads for most sched. 2's that

can't be photocopied and are 'forgery resistant'.

This person approached drop off when I was in the middle of helping

an elderly lady with brand name vs. generic on the phone, and this

guy (I had made eye contact and acknowleged with my 'body language'

that I would be right with him) tosses this script onto the counter

and starts tapping the counter with his knuckles. I was off of the

phone within two minutes of his arrival to begin to process the

following script:

Duragesic TD 50 MCG/HR

Sig:

Apply 1 patch as directed every three days.

Dispense 10 (Ten) patches

HERE'S WHERE IT GOT INTERESTING....

Underneath the (proper) Sig Code in a DIFFERENT THICKNESS OF BLACK

INK (!!!!!) someone.... HMMMM, I wonder who... Had written:

REFILL 2 (Two) TIMES PRN/MONTH

BRAND MEDICALLY NEESSARY

It must have been obvious to this person that I was double-checking

this script.

He declared to me in what I can only guess he must have considered

some kind of 'I'm important so you better watch out' tone of voice

that he was about to go sailing and that for whatever reason he would

not be in Corpus for at least 20 days so he wanted all 6 boxes of his

Duragesic patches NOW...

So... (For anyone who is new to this Group and is interested in

working as a Pharmacy Technician one essential personality trait that

you must possess is the ability to think quickly 'on your feet')

I told him the exact same thing that I say to anyone with a sched. 2

script:

" Let me go check our inventory log to make sure that we have the

proper quantity of this medication to give to you today. "

I looked this guy stright in the eyes as I try to do with anyone with

whom I am speaking and I guess he must have figured out that I knew

he was attempting something quite illegal.

In a quite authoritatarian tone of voice he announced that he wanted

the prescription back NOW because if it is so much trouble to take

care of his 'needs' HE WILL FIND ANOTHER PHARMACY THAT WOULD...

TOO DARN LATE BUDDY (was what I wanted to say), but I just gave the

script to the Pharmacist who ended up having a quite heated 15 minute

conversation with this person ending up with the following results:

1. This person had scripts filled with us 'properly' so we have all

his personal information. He was 'informed' that he is now

considered 'banned' at ALL of our particular chain pharmacy locations.

2. The Pharmacist would not give him back the original prescription

which in Texas is under his 'professional discretion' if an RPh

believes that a prescription is altered or a forgery.

3. The Pharmacist informed the patient that he should wait on that 20

day trip as his M.D. would most certainly be trying to get in tounch

with him on Monday.

4. This person knew he was 'beat', so he gave up and left peacefully

without too much further intimidation on his part as he was informed

that here in south Texas is not the best place to be if you do not

want a confrontation with D.E.A. or any other police entity.

I am not sure how the RPh followed up on this person, nor is it any

of my business.

In a way I really feel sorry for someone who is most likely both

terminal with cancer AND addicted to the strongest of the opiates.

Perhaps he thought that this might have been his last trip on his

yacht. I live in a coastal town, so this could have been a

possibility. At a good clip it is possible to set sail from Corpus

Christi Bay and arrive at the Port of Yucatan in less than a week.

Perhaps he (AND AS WE ALL KNOW, HE WOULD NOT BE ALONE) is selling his

pain meds and thinks he can forge a script for profit.

I started work this past Saturday at 8 AM.

This guy came in around 10:00 in the morning.

It didn't occur to me until that night when I was talking about my

day with my wife that he probably did have a yacht, and might have

planned to go out sailing this past Saturday...

He never would have come back to port alive.

I've stated before...

We see things that very few people can understand.

Sometimes laws and corporate rules and regulations only 'make sense'

after the fact...

Best Wishes From Tropical Texas,

Christian B. Oliver RCPhT (TX)

>

> Hi Cclantz01,

>

> It depends.

>

> Sometimes patients don't want prescriptions because they aren't

covered under their insurance and will say just throw it away.

>

> Other times the insurance doesn't cover what the doctor wrote for

and the pharmacist calls to change it to something that is covered.

He may have done that and taken the new rx as a phone in and threw

away the old one.

>

> The patient may have handed in an expired rx. The pharmacist calls

the md to verify the validity and confirm that it can be filled and

then rewrites it as a new script with a valid date.

>

> I've had patients leave prescriptions on the drop off counter and

not tell anyone and then when I find them I can't read the name to

fill it. I put those on a clip near my computer. After a month or

two if no one comes in to claim them I throw them away.

>

> Also, patients have been known to alter controlled and narcotic

scripts. I've called the doctor's office to verify the script and it

was altered and the doctor said to refuse the patient and destroy the

script.

>

> Those are a few of the reasons I know of where we (my pharmacy

staff) has thrown away what are " new " scripts.

>

> Have a great day!!

>

>

>

> --

> Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of

arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather

to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the

other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming " WOO

HOO - what a ride! "

>

> -------------- Original message --------------

> From: " cclantz01 " <cclantz01@...>

> I have this " friend " that witnessed the PIC {Pharmacist in

Charge}

> throw away hard copies that were only a few days old, 2 weeks old,

at

> the most, because they were cluttering the computer...Aren't these

> still considered legal documents?

>

>

>

>

>