MD Dispensing

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone recall a law or at least pharmacy " disapproval " of doctors

dispensing medication from the office? I don't mean giving out free samples.

I'm talking about actual dispensing of prescriptions from the office.

Here's what happened. Please give your opinions.

Harrah's Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City recently acquired several other

Atlantic City casinos. I think they are Caesers, Showboat and Tropicana.

Subseqently, they built a health center for their employees. Employees who

utilize the facility have lower or no-copays for office visits, tests etc. A

friend of mine works for Harrah's and went to the doctor at the health center

this week. She told me she explained to the doctor that she didn't like the

Protonix she had been taking, that she preferred the Prevacid she used to take

and he gave it to her. I assumed she meant samples. But she had made the

appointment because she was coming down with some sort of cold/infection. When

I asked what she was given for the cold she said he gave her Promethazine. And

wasn't that great because the prescriptions were free if she got them there

rather than at a retail pharmacy. I questioned her again. Are you sure he gave

you the medication and not a sample? Yes. He typed the prescription into his

computer, printed a label, poured it into another bottle and gave it to her.

She does know the difference as she was a pharmacy technician for years before

being promoted at her present job.

So the doctor makes the diagnosis, prescribes the medication and dispenses it

all at the same desk. Are we missing an important piece the checks and balances

system? Or am I reading too much into this?

--

To love what you do and feel that

it matters - how could anything

be more fun? -- Graham

.. . . for my heart rejoiced in

all my labour . . . Ecclesiastes

2:10