Re-Fill

CP: What is the definition of "refill"?

CPP: According to dictionary.com:

"verb - to fill again

noun - a material, supply, or the like, to replace something that has been used up: a refill for a prescription"

CP: Okay. That's what I thought. When a patient asks phor a refill, they wish us to fill that medication, again, yes?

CPP: Yes. 

CP: If I went to a restaurant and ordered a coffee, and the waitress asked if I wanted a refill, would I expect to receive coffee? 

CPP: That's what I would expect. 

CP: Not tea? Or mead? Or a chocolate chip cookie? 

CPP: No. Where are you going with this?

CP: To refill, as you defined, means to fill again, not replace. 

CPP: Yes. 

CP: Why do prescribers not understand this?

CPP: You asked rhetorically. 

CP: I received a prescription phor Nicotine patches, 21mg. The lady saw the refill on her label, called it in, got home, and was surprised we philled it phor the 21mg again. 

CPP: As in RE-filled it?

CP: Yes. She thought if she called in the refill, she would receive the 14mg. The prescriber gave her 3 refills but told her to step down after 4 weeks on each strength. 

CPP: So you called Dr. Zoffis and. . . ?

CP: Dr. Zoffis sent another Rx phor the 21mg. . . with 3 refills. 

CPP: This is also true with step therapies where the patient is tapering up or down to a target dose. Once the patient is at target dose, they need a new Rx phor those refills. 

CP: Topiramate is a great example - take 25mg for 1 week. . . up to goal dose of 100mg twice a day. If you put 11 refills on that, the directions will always say this PLUS we have to give the patient a huge supply of tablets to get them through the month. 

CPP: Or Eliquis starter doses. Take 2 tabs twice a day for 7 days, then 1 twice a day thereafter. Does the patient repeat the load every month? No. Will they make that mistake? Probably. 

CPP: If only Dr. Zoffis was intelligent enough to split those and send them as two separate Rx's. 

CP: If only we were allowed to separate them in to two separate Rx's. 

CPP: You know we already do that. 

CP: I know. But we can't phix the original Nicotine Patch issue since Dr. Zoffis didn't indicate a decrease in dose. 

CPP: I don't want prescribing rights, but I'd like the ability to phix stupid. 

CP: You can't phix stupid. 

CPP: But you can medicate it. 

#ClawbacksWouldKillUs

#WhyYourPrescriptionTakesSoLong 

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