Medication Refill Policy

MEDICATION REFILL POLICY

Effective March 1, 2013

Currently, our office receives a large volume of calls daily for medication refill requests outside of an office visit. As you are most likely aware, Healthcare Reform, makes it necessary for our office to provide quality care in the most efficient manner possible. In an effort to more efficiently, and most importantly, safely manage refill requests, it is necessary for our clinic to implement a new prescription refill policy. We understand that this change will affect you. By keeping you informed of the policy change, we hope to continue working together to ensure safe and high quality medical care.

1. Before you come to your regular appointment, you should look over your medications, diabetes supplies, inhalers, etc. to determine if you need to request any new prescriptions at your appointment.
   
   
2. We do require office visits on a regular basis for all of our patients taking prescription medication. The interval will vary depending on the type of medication prescribed. It is our goal to provide you enough refills on your medication until your next office visit.
   
   
3. If you call to request a refill but are overdue for a follow-up visit and/or blood work (necessary for monitoring the safety or effectiveness of a medication), the provider may agree to call in enough medication to a local pharmacy to last until we are able to schedule an office visit (up to 4 weeks supply). It is your responsibility to schedule an appointment before you run out of medication. You should schedule your next visit before you leave our office.
   
   
4. We no longer accept refill requests for any controlled substance by telephone, email, mail or fax. Controlled substances will be given during an office visit in an adequate amount to cover you until your next scheduled office appointment.

We understand that there might be a situation when you do have to call us for a prescription. Please review the list below and see what you can do to plan ahead.

Are you changing to a new local pharmacy?

You should call your new pharmacy and request that your prescriptions be transferred from your old pharmacy. We sometimes do not have to write new prescriptions.

Are you going on an extended vacation and need to use an out-of-town pharmacy?

You need to call the NEW pharmacy that you will be using and have them contact your hometown pharmacy to have your prescriptions transferred. When you return home, you have to reverse the process.

Are you changing to a new mail order pharmacy?

Some pharmacies will transfer your prescriptions to the new pharmacy. If you still have refills on your current prescriptions, please check with your current mail order pharmacy to see if your prescriptions can be transferred.

Thank you for choosing Midwest Regional Health Services for your Medical Home. We look forward to working with you to assure safe and high quality medical care.