As of September 23, 2024, more than 4,000 pharmacists had additional prescribing authorization (APA), enabling them to prescribe medications for individuals at initial access or manage ongoing drug therapy based on the pharmacist’s assessment of the individual. Ensuring the patient is aware of their choices is an important aspect of empowering the patient to participate in their own healthcare decisions.
While patients may expect to fill their prescription at the same pharmacy where the pharmacist prescribed, there are exceptions. For example, one exception might be if a patient regularly gets their prescriptions filled by a pharmacist who does not have APA. In this case, the patient may go to a different pharmacy to see a prescribing pharmacist and may want to have the prescription filled by their regular pharmacist.
The new Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (SPPPT) outline the importance of demonstrating professionalism and leadership to ensure patients feel genuinely cared for. Part of that process involves ensuring patients are aware of their options for care. Pharmacists who have APA are reminded that when you prescribe a drug, you must advise the patient that they may choose to have the medication dispensed at another pharmacy.
The standards require a pharmacist to ensure that the patient is provided enough information about their dispensing choices to make an informed decision. As per the standards, when a pharmacist prescribes a drug at initial access, the pharmacist must inform the patient that they may choose to have the prescription dispensed by another pharmacist.
