When your doctor takes you off a medication, she probably lets you know. But did she remember to tell your pharmacist? Not necessarily, according to new research that suggests the communication gap between docs and pharmacists is creating a health risk for some patients.
In a study by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, investigators reviewed more than 80,000 electronic requests, submitted by doctors, for prescription discontinuations—meant to end the distribution of a certain medication to a patient.
After comparing doctor’s orders to pharmacy records, the team found that roughly 1.5 percent of all discontinued prescriptions—or more than 1,200 scrips—were still being filled. The researchers also discovered that at least 50 people, or 12 percent of those receiving discontinued medications, had experienced some adverse outcome as a result of the faulty Rx. Those outcomes ranged from mild side effects to life-threatening allergic reactions, the study explains.
A communication breakdown seems to be the culprit: Many medical offices fail to notify pharmacies when a physician discontinues a patient’s meds. Surprisingly, electronic medical records—which are increasingly replacing hand-written prescriptions—fail to solve the problem, despite offering a more reliable means of correspondence between doctors and pharmacies. (Keep your own medical records organized with our step-by-step guide.)
It doesn’t matter what kind of prescriptions you’re taking, says study author Thomas Sequist, MD, a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Vanguard. But patients using several drugs are at greater risk: Those taking between 11 and 15 meds were 60 percent more likely to get a discontinued prescription from their pharmacist.
To protect yourself, Dr. Sequist recommends carefully reviewing all of your medications with your doctor during every visit. If your doc makes any adjustments, ask her to contact the pharmacy. And don’t stop there: Do your own follow-up to ensure that the pharmacist is aware of the change.
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