The McCoys were generous enough to provide a number of examples that show just the sorts of errors they are seeing in the e-prescriptions coming into their pharmacy.  Read on to see the prescription as received and the McCoys' comments. If you haven't read the story in the Jan/Feb 2012 issue, titled "The E-Prescribing Learning Curve: One Pharmacy's Experience," you can find it here.

Prescription

SIMVASTATIN ** - (ZOCOR) **~ T- DAW O=NOT SPECIFIED

Qty 30 UOM Mutually Defined

20 MG PO HS Take one ill at bedtime.

The McCoys comment: A classic example of what we see, it is written for 10mg tablets yet below it shows 20mg at bedtime, followed by "One pill at bedtime." So do you do 10mg at bedtime, or 2 10mg tablets at bedtime, or 1 20mg tablet at bedtime, the patient was on 20mg at bedtime prior.

Prescription

MASON 25 MG

50 MG PO Q DAY

Dispense 180 TAB

Instructions: Take 2 once a day.

The McCoys comment: This example is for a drug called "Mason", it actually turned out to be Spirnolactone.

Prescription

SERTRALINE HYDROCHLORIDE (Zoloft) 5- DAW 0=NOT SPECIFIED

50 MG TAB

Qty 30 UOM Mutually Defined

100 MG PO Q DAY Take on e pill on c e a day.

The McCoys asked: Received as 50mg tablets once per day or is it 100mg once per day?

Prescription

Citalopram ** -(Celexa **) 10 Mg Tab

Dispense**30**(thirty) not specified

Sig:

20 MG PO QDAY Take one pill once a day

The McCoys asked: Patient was on 10mg, which do you want?

Prescription

SIMVASTATIN - (ZOCOR) 20 MG TAB

DAW 0=NOT SPECIFIED

Qty 30  UPM Mutually Defined

40 MG PO Q Day PRN Take one pill at bedtime.

The McCoys asked: Patient was on 40ng q d. Did you intend change?

Prescription

FLUTICASONE 50MCG NAS INH** (FLONASE

50MCG **) 120 SPRAY/16 GM SPRAY

Qty 1 UOM Mutually Defined

1 SPRAY NASAL BID 2 sprays in each nostril once daily

The McCoys asked: Is it two sprays in each nostril once daily OR one spray twice daily?

Prescription

AMLODIPINE BESYLATE 10 MG TAB DAW O=NOT SpECIFIED

Qty 30 UOM Mutually Defined

5 MG PO QDAY TAKE 1 TABLET BY MOUTH ONCE DAILY

The McCoys asked: Which is right, Amlodipine 10mg at 1 tablet once daily or, the 5mg once per

day?

Prescription

CARVEDILOL ** - (COREG **) 25 MG TA- DAW O=NOT SPECIFIED

Qty 45             UOM Mutually Defined

PO BID Take one and a half pills in the AM and one pill in the PM

The McCoys asked: Is it 25mg Coreg 1+1/2 in the am and one in the pm OR 25mg twice per day?

Prescription

SIMVASTATIN ** - (ZOCOR **) 10 MG T- DAW O=NOT SPECIFIED

Qty 90 UOM Mutually Defined

PO QDAY Take one pill at bedtime.

The McCoys asked: Is it Zocor 10mg talblets 1 at bedttime, or 20mg per day?

Prescription

MEMANTINE ** - (NAMENDA **)~TA- DAW O=NOT SPECIFIED

Qty 60 UOM Mutually Defined

10 MG PO BID Take one pill twice a day.

The McCoys asked: Is it 5mg Namenda one pill twice a day, or 10mg tablets twice per day?

OMEPRAZOLE (OMEPRAZOLE DR) 20 MG EC

DAW O=NOT SPECIFIED

Qty 120 UOM Mutually Defined

10 MG PO BID TAKE ONE OR TWO CAPSULES BY MOUTH ONCE DAILY

The McCoys asked: Previous Rx was for omeprazole 10mg #120 one or two caps po q d. Did you intend to change to omeprazole 20mg - one or two caps po q d?