Prescription Problem Solving
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| erythema to leg |
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The Computer says “no”?
Over the past few months we have received numerous comments and complaints, nationally from both NHS hospital and private practice members, that their patients are experiencing difficulty in obtaining prescriptions when the medical advisor attempts to create an electronic version. The situation has baffled us as well as the distributors of Covermark, Dermacolor, Keromask and Veil. A probable explanation is that there are various software programmes in use to create electronic prescriptions. Each Primary Care Trust buys its own software and therein lies the problem because there is no single programme that lists everything available on the current Drug Tariff, MIMS, etc. The solution is to hand-write the prescription, or add the product to the software.
The Pharmacist says “which colour”?
BASC receive numerous queries from pharmacists and NHS personnel that only two colours are listed against a brand name, or that they are unsure where on the electronic prescription form to advise the colour and quantity. Please refer to the above answer regarding the first part of this question. The solution is to always list the brand in the main text but place the colour code (or name) and quantity in the “dosage” column as that accepts the variable.
My Doctor says camouflage is “only for port wine stains and vitiligo”!
Products marked as ABCS (Approved By the Committee on Borderline Substances) includes such items as sunscreens, emollients, nutritional aids, etc and skin camouflage. Borderline Substances are available on prescription at doctor’s discretion. However, because there is no national (or even local PCT) agreement of opinion, some medical professionals interpret the “indications” to be the finite guide and only prescribe for those mentioned as such in MIMS. Had they consulted the Drug Tariff they would have seen that there is no mention of any dermatosis and scarring at all, which indicates that there is no restriction – other than known contra-indications.
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© photographs: BASC member no: 1022 |
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| Hyper and Hypo pigmentation and keloid scarring |