The Professional Pharmacists’ Defence (PDL) has recently shared important recommendations to help minimise errors when dispensing e-scripts. These guidelines are crucial for ensuring accuracy and maintaining patient safety in your pharmacy practice.
The recommendations provided for e-scripts contained ten points to consider, and should be in your inbox right now, if you have not read it, we highly recommend you do. To make this process easier to remember and apply in your day-to-day work, we’ve summarised their detailed advice into a simple, three-step method you can follow. Here’s how you can ensure safe and error-free dispensing of e-scripts:
Three-Step Method to Minimise Dispensing Errors with E-Scripts:
1️⃣ Verify Patient Details Thoroughly
Confirm the patient’s full name, address, DOB, Medicare number, and preferred method for receiving repeat tokens. Address any discrepancies flagged by your software before proceeding.
2️⃣ Match Prescription with E-Script
Ensure the medication, directions, and annotations in the dispensing software match the full legal version of the downloaded e-script. Check for prescriber shorthand differences and verify with the prescriber if needed.
3️⃣ Final Product & Clinical Check
Compare the labelled product with the e-script, review patient history, and confirm with the patient that the token was received. Use this final step to catch any errors and ensure correct medication supply.
By following the 3-Step E-Script Dispensing Process, pharmacists can ensure accuracy, maintain patient safety, and uphold professional standards when handling e-scripts. This simple yet effective approach minimizes the risk of dispensing errors and promotes better patient outcomes.
We strongly recommend printing out this infographic and placing it in a prominent location in your pharmacy, such as near the dispensary or staff area. This will serve as a constant reminder to all team members to stay vigilant and prioritize precision in every prescription filled.
Disclaimer: The above is a summary of the PDL article, please refer to the original guidelines. The above may not reflect all advice issued by the PDL.
(Last Updated on November 30, 2024)