All outpatient prescriptions (new, partials, renewals, refills, etc.) are dispensed with Consumer Medication Information (CMI). CMI is printed information about prescription medicine provided by pharmacy to patients and should be given with all NEW prescriptions. This does not include Medication Guides which are required to be dispensed with certain prescription medicines that have serious and significant public health
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All outpatient prescriptions (new, partials, renewals, refills, etc.) are dispensed with Consumer Medication Information (CMI). CMI is printed information about prescription medicine provided by pharmacy to patients and should be given with all NEW prescriptions. This does not include Medication Guides which are required to be dispensed with certain prescription medicines that have serious and significant public health concerns.
My recommendation is to dispense CMI ONLY with new prescriptions (not refills, renewals or partials) to reduce cost and decrease identity theft and unnecessary waste.
Benefits:
1. Decreased costs:
For our facility (VHSO-Fayetteville, AR) the annual costs of CMI is:
i.Toner/Ink – app. $19,651 per year (based on fiscal year 2008)
ii.Legal size paper – app. $6,322 per year (based on fiscal year 2008)
= annual cost of app. $25,000 per year
*Assuming the average prescription has 11 refills, and if no CMI was dispensed, this would equal an annual savings of app. $23,000(Based on average annual cost of $25,000*11/12 = app. $23,000)
*If 500 facilities* participated nationwide, the average annual savings could be app. $11,500,000! per year (Based on an average savings of app. $23,000 per year)
2. Decreased risk for patient identity theft
i. Veterans placing Protected Personal Information (PPI) contained in CMI into non-secure trash receptacles.
ii. Less opportunity for PPI to be dispensed in wrong package
3. Increased productivity and patient satisfaction
i. Less paperwork decreases fill and verification time, which decreases wait time for patients = increased patient satisfaction
4. Adding voluminous amounts of papers to the information patients already receive may cause them to not read any of the information
5. It’s GREEN! Less paperwork = positive impact on the environment
6. Its not required by the FDA!
i. FDA specifically states that CMI is for “All prescription medicines filled for the FIRST time,” “Provided VOLUNTARILY by pharmacies..,” and is NOT REVIEWED AND/OR APPROVED BY THE FDA. See the ruling on CMI, Medication Guides, and Patient Package Inserts (PPI) on the FDA website at :
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/CDER/ReportsBudgets/ucm163786.htm
*894 VHA medical facilities. This includes healthcare networks, medical centers, outpatient clinics, and community-based outpatient clinics
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