Spokane Pharmacy Association – Drug Alert FAX Program March 2010

Last summer, the Spokane Pharmacy Association (SPA) Board of Directors conducted a survey of the SPA membership regarding the SPA Drug Alert Program. For the past 15 years, the SPA Drug Alert Program has been operating as a fax notification system to pharmacies in the region. Requests come in from medical and dental offices in our region, as well as from pharmacies, regarding a particular patient or incident such as stolen prescription blanks, forged prescriptions or use of a fake patient name. Results of the survey indicated widespread support for continuing the SPA Drug Alert Program. Based on your feedback, we have revised the drug alert form to include specific categories and instructions about appropriate use of patient information.

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS: CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A COPY OF THE SPA DRUG ALERT FAX FORM

You will be able to fill out the request and either print the form and fax it to SPA, or submit it electronically. A copy of the form will be faxed or e-mailed to you as soon as possible.

 

To implement the revised form/system, we ask that you do the following:

 

• Destroy old forms and start using revised form.
• Note the correct phone number to fax in a drug alert is 509-413-1219
• Remind all staff the Drug Alert information should not be posted where the public or non-pharmacy staff has access to it. Confirm that Drug Alert faxes are received on a secure fax machine in your pharmacy.
• Follow all patient confidentiality guidelines when sharing patient information.

 

For specific questions regarding the SPA Drug Alert Program, please call 509-723-1504 which is a voice mailbox for SPA or e-mail us at board@spokanepharmacy.org.  Your call or e-mail will be returned as soon as possible.

 

We are continuing to work with local, state and federal law enforcement to establish a communication network between our pharmacies and those agencies.  One of the goals of partnering with law enforcement is to facilitate the provision of timely information to keep everyone safe – employees of the pharmacy/store/ institution and our patients.  Future plans also include an educational effort with physicians and dentists to ensure proper use of the program.  Please let us know if you have questions or comments about the SPA Drug Alert Program.  We would appreciate your feedback as the new form is implemented.