Processing medication telephone messages is one of the most frequent daily activities involving front and back office staff and providers. Patients report symptoms or ask questions related to their medications, which then necessitate provider response. Message accuracy is crucial to provider decisions and proper treatment, including need for an appointment, discontinuing medications, adjusting dosage, assessing for correct administration, and evaluating other medications taken and their interactions with a new prescription.
Many factors can create message inaccuracy. Examples include confusing the many look-alike, sound-alike drugs on the market; the patient possibly taking the same medication in both brand and generic forms when prescribed by multiple providers and filled by unaffiliated pharmacies; language barriers affecting clarity of speech; and patients describing medications rather than having bottles available to read from.
Strategies to minimize medication message risks include:
- Asking the patient to read the medication name directly from the bottle;
- Using the "speak back" technique to repeat the medication name back;
- Spelling the medication name, if possible;
- Speaking back the symptoms, asking for details if vague;
- Verifying medications are current as documented on med history and/or prescription refill list;
- Learning commonly prescribed medications and combinations for the patient population served.
Medication errors are a leading cause of adverse events. Mastering medication messages with accuracy, timeliness from call to response, and prompt patient notification with documentation of call are critical for promoting patient safety.
Authored by
Jackie Gellis-Server, MHA, RN
Senior Risk Management & Patient Safety Specialist
If you have questions about this article, please contact us. This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.