Understanding prescriptions

By Jessica Rhodes, KAHC Certified Pharmacy TechnicianMarch 28, 2013

usa image
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEE, Va. (March 21, 2013) -- Picking up a new prescription and not quite remembering what you are supposed to do with it is a scenario many patients have encountered.

Oftentimes, primary care managers will prescribe more than one type of medication, and it isn't always easy to remember the different dosage and frequency instructions. Trying to make heads or tails of what the pharmacy staff explained can be a challenge also if the patients' thoughts are focused on heading home and getting back in bed for some much-needed rest and recovery.

Furthermore, as a result of automation updates and safety recommendations, prescription labels have recently. Kenner Army Health Clinic Pharmacy users may have noticed many new modifications to their prescription bottle labels.

"You will see two different label formats on your prescription containers," said Pharmacy Chief Lenny Drost. "One format is applied to new prescriptions at the service windows and the other is used by the automated refill system."

Drost recommends patients and parents of patients become familiar with the labels, particularly instructions for use, refills remaining and the expiration date.

Both formats are computer generated, Drost said. However, the information varies based on whether or not you have a new or refilled prescription.

For example, the new prescription label features the prescription number, patient name, prescriber, the drug name, refills remaining, instructions for use and caution alerts on one label.

The robot-generated labels have many of the same elements as the computer generated labels only in a slightly different format.

The pharmacies at KAHC, Troop Medical Clinic 1 and the Mosier Consolidated Troop Medical Clinic (formerly TMC 2) fill more than 1,500 new and refillable prescriptions each day.

"This new label format will help the pharmacy techs and pharmacist continue to be effective and efficient when dispensing medications for our beneficiaries," said Drost. "Peak pharmacy use times may increase the wait time for new prescriptions, so we recommend patients come earlier in the day -- the pharmacy is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday. The last ticket for full service is issued at 5:30 p.m.

The best time to come is between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Mondays and Fridays are the busiest days for the clinic and the pharmacy, so avoid these peak days if possible.

Refills must be called in at least three days ahead of time. This decreases the wait times at the windows and for all pharmacy users.