Legal+and+preferred+ways+of+writing+Rx+(From+Chris+F)

With the change over with hydrocodone products to a schedule 2 drug I have gotten several questions about the legal, proper and preferred way to prescribe each category of medication:

1. CII drugs (i.e. methadone, morphine, hydromorphone, and as of 10/6/14: hydrocodone): a. EPCS (electronic prescribing of controlled substances), **preferred** b. Printed out hard copy on tamperproof printer paper for the patient to hand deliver to pharmacy c. Hand written on individual tamperproof prescription, **only allowed by policy during ccLink downtime** when a. and b. not available. Must be documented as well in ccLink med list when system back up. Not legal: a. Hand written on tamperproof printer paper obtained from secure printer b. printed or handwritten on plain paper c. phoned in d. faxed in

2. CIII, IV, V drugs(i.e. codeine, tramadol, diazepam): a. EPCS (electronic prescribing of controlled substances), **preferred** b. printed on plain paper and then faxed to retail pharmacy c. phoned in by MD or RN on behalf of MD (also must document in ccLink) d. Hand written on individual tamperproof prescription, **only allowed by policy during ccLink downtime** when a. and b. not available. Must be documented as well in ccLink med list when system back up. Not legal: a. Hand written on tamperproof printer paper obtained from secure printer b. printed or handwritten on plain paper and then handed to patient

Uncontrolled meds: a. electronic prescribing and transmittal via ccLink, **preferred** b. printed on plain paper and then faxed to retail pharmacy c. phoned in by MD or RN on behalf of MD (also must document in ccLink) d. Hand written on individual tamperproof prescription or plain paper, **only allowed by policy during ccLink downtime** when a. and b. not available. Must be documented as well in ccLink med list when system back up. Not legal: a. Hand written on tamperproof printer paper obtained from secure printer

Did you know that the fax method of sending prescriptions has up to a 5% failure rate, due to errors/malfunctions on either the sending or receiving fax machine end, including HIPPA violations our system has produced by sending the prescription inadvertently to the wrong fax machine? One more reason why EPCS is preferred.

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