Can We Continue Refilling Cardiac Meds for Patients Who've Seen a New Cardiologist Within the 18-Month Window?

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I work at a cardiology practice. Recently a new cardiology practice opened and some of our patients have gone to the new practice. 
Our practice refills cardiac meds for up to 18 months after the last office visit. Nurses are the ones who refill the cardiac meds. My question is, If within the 18 months and unaware of the other practices patients. Is it OK to continue to refill our cardiac meds for the patient if it is within the 18 month parameter without being held accountable for changing a med that a new cardiologist (not part of our practice) prescribed.

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

In this situation, as long as the patient is within the 18-month window and you are refilling their medications according to your practice's guidelines, it is generally acceptable to continue processing refills. However, there are a few key considerations:

  • Medication prescriptions and changes. If the patient has seen a new cardiologist and that cardiologist has changed their medication regimen. Ideally, your practice should be aware of any updates. If the new cardiologist prescribes a medication change or alters dosages, you would not want to inadvertently refill a prescription that does not align with the new cardiologist's plan. The best practice is to confirm with the patient whether there have been any changes to their prescriptions or even ask them to provide documentation from the new practice.
  • Coordination of care. It's important to ensure clear communication between the two practices or at least that the patient is informed of the need to update their prescription records if they are switching cardiologists. You may want to clarify that refills can only be processed if the patient is still under care at your practice.
  • Accountability. From a legal or ethical standpoint, if you're unaware of a change made by another cardiologist, it's unlikely you would be held responsible unless there is a direct issue with the medication prescribed by your practice. But it's always a good idea to ask patients about any recent visits or changes to ensure consistency in their treatment.

  • The pharmacy also will typically catch any overlap or discrepancies between prescriptions from different providers. Most pharmacies use electronic prescription systems that flag potential issues, such as drug interactions, duplicate therapies, or medications prescribed by different doctors for the same patient. If a patient receives prescriptions for the same medication or conflicting treatments from multiple providers, the pharmacy may contact either the patient or the prescribing doctor to clarify the situation.

To mitigate any potential risks, it's a good idea to add a quick note in your refill process asking patients to confirm if they've seen another provider or if their medication regimen has changed.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

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