Obtaining ekits or an emergency 3 day supply of meds

[AtlantaRN]

We work with a local contracted pharmacy, and they state now they are no longer able to send ekits without a phone call from the physician. We have been really good at getting signed orders and faxing them to the pharmacy within the 3 day window, but NOW, they say "the DEA won't let us send without a call from the ordering physician" and a signed order within 24 hours....

How do you all handle getting your ekits or an emergency 3 day supply of meds? I miss my old job who used Hospice Pharmacia......

[DelanaRN, MSN, APRN, NP]

I can't imagine not having an Emergency Kit (aka Comfort Kit). I find it frustrating enough that we have to wait until the next day to have our E-kit delivered after an admission when often times, patients are discharged from the hospital with no meds and no prescriptions and they have uncontrolled symptoms on Hospice Admission. It's very aggravating when having to drive all over town and sometimes to the Medical Directors home to get a signed script, drop if off at the pharmacy, and wait. Many times the Medical Director does not have his RX pad on him and a verbal order to a pharmacy will not work either. It burns my biscuits to have a patient suffer over red tape!

[lpoore]

The pharmacy we use is the same way. However, they will send out an E-Kit for a new admit pending the doctor's signature.