Prescriber information
The doctor’s name, address and phone number should be clearly written (or preprinted) on the top of the prescription form. Some states require the doctor’s state license number to be on the form. It is not recommended that you preprint your Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) number on the prescription pad. It becomes too easy for drug abusers to lift a few prescription forms for illicit use if that number is easily available.
The DEA number is not required on noncontrolled prescriptions; however, many pharmacies may equest the DEA number with a prescription to help when filing the patient’s medication insurance claims. For those who do not use their DEA number: Prescriptions are often counted by the DEA number. If that number is not used on prescriptions written by optometrists, the count will not reflect an accurate number of prescriptions coming from our profession. This will affect the support optometry receives from pharmaceutical companies in terms of service, educational program support and involvement in pharmaceutical clinical trials. . Patient information: This portion of the prescription should include at least the first and last name of the atient and the age of the patient. Many names such as “Smith” and “Jones” should include the complete name and address to help distinguish patients with similar names. An address is required on schedule II controlled drugs and should be included on prescriptions for any controlled substance. When the exact age is unavailable the word “adult” may be used in the age slot. Children and the elderly may need the weight listed when oral medications are prescribed. 3.
Date prescribed: The date is part of the legal document confirming when the prescription was written. Pharmacists are often presented prescriptions with dates that are well ast the prescribing date. Some patients elect to save prescriptions for future use. This often includes antihistamines and antibiotics that may not be indicated or are even dangerous for the patient’s present condition. 4. Superscription: This is the Rx symbol on the prescription form that designates the written document to be a prescription. Rx is an abbreviation for a Latin phrase that means “take thou. 5. Inscription: An inscription includes the drug name, concentration and type of preparation. Drug names should not be abbreviated and correct spelling is important to assure that the correct medication is dispensed. Maxitrol (neomycin and polymyxin b sulfates and dexamethasone, Alcon) and Tobra Dex (tobramycin and dexamethasone, Alcon) are examples of drugs that are prepared in ointment (ung) or drop (gt) form. Cortisporin (neomycin and polymyxin B sulfates, bacitracin zinc and hydrocortisone, Glaxo Wellcome) comes in ophthalmic and otic (ear drops) preparations.
Specify which preparation you wish the patient to use. Drug names can be written using the chemical name, such as ciprofloxacin 0. 3% (Ciloxan, Alcon) or the proprietary form that requests a specific brand name drug. This preparation is still nder patent, so if you use either name the pharmacy will provide the product manufactured by Alcon. Tobramycin has recently come off patent. If you prescribe “Tobrex” the patient should receive the drug manufactured by Alcon unless you “tobramycin,” the patient will likely receive the generic form of the drug.
Homatropine and pilocarpine come in different concentrations. It is good practice to always specify the concentration, even if the drug comes in only one concentration. That drug may come in other concentrations in the future. Concentration and preparation form should be written Just to the right of the drug name. Use the metric system of weights and measures. To avoid misinterpretation of the preparation strength, follow this standard in writing percentages: If the percent is less than one, always precede the decimal with a zero, such as 0. 1% or 0. 05%.
