From: Michele Durda
Sent: 19 February, 2018 2:41 PM
To: Pharmacy Department
Subject: Patient's own supply of medications

I have been informed there is some confusion about the status of patient's own supply of medication orders.  Apparently, there are some case managers that are telling the nurses in their departments that patients should no longer be using their own supply.  This is a result of a billing change that Patient Accounting implemented a while ago, which we only heard about recently.  Case Management was informed about the billing change and is apparently spreading the news.

Here is what you need to know:

1.  Our policy for use of Patient's Own Supply of Medications is under review, but it has not changed.  We are still allowing the use of Patient's Own Supply if the patient or physician request it

2.  It is true that the patient will no longer be billed for using the hospital's medications

3.  For this reason, there is no advantage to using the patient's own supply for medications that we have in stock

4.  If you get an order to switch to the patient's own supply, you have 2 options:

            * you may contact the prescriber or nurse to request use of the hospital's supply instead

            * you may follow the Patient's Own Supply of Medications process for the patient to use his/her own supply

We are currently working on updating our policy and plans for an organized roll-out.  The policy updates will need to be approved by a number of different committees and many groups (including nursing, pharmacy, and physicians) will need to be educated.  Unfortunately, it appears that a confused message has come out prematurely.  Please let me know if you have any questions about this issue. 

--
Michele Durda, Pharm.D.
Medication Safety/Drug Utilization Pharmacist