Policy         

In the interest of client safety and in accordance with Canadian Medical Protective Association, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, College of Nurses of Ontario, and the Ontario College of Pharmacists, when possible; prescriptions are renewed at scheduled appointments with the client’s primary care provider or designate.

Procedure

All RCHS employees will continue to encourage clients to bring all prescriptions to all scheduled appointments for medication review or renewal.

When primary care providers receive a request to refill a prescription that has run out, they must consider whether the drug is still appropriate and whether the patient’s condition is stable enough to warrant the prescription refill without further assessment.  It is recommended that primary care providers also consider whether requests for prescription refills received earlier or later than expected may indicate poor adherence, possibly leading to inadequate therapy or adverse events.

When a client requests a prescription renewal, they are asked to have their pharmacy fax over the renewal request to ensure accuracy and up to date information.

When a prescription renewal request is received:

  • A copy of the renewal request will be sent by an admin team member electronically through the EMR to the provider. If the provider deems the request is appropriate, the completed prescription will be e-faxed to the appropriate pharmacy. 
  • If the provider determines the client needs to be seen or that any testing needs to happen prior to the prescription being renewed, they will message the admin team to book the client in for an appointment or follow up with any requisitions or instructions.
  • For prescriptions renewal requests received when a primary care provider is on an extended leave of more than three business days, the covering provider will complete the prescription renewal.  If the covering primary care provider does not feel comfortable renewing medications without an appointment, but there are no appointments available, the community health centre pharmacist will be asked to review the client’s chart and make recommendations (e.g., monitoring, offer appointment for medication review, chart review, etc.) to assist in assessing the appropriateness of the prescription renewal.
  • Prescription renewals will be completed within 5 business days.