Even more unfortunate is when we try to look it up on our post modern and so amazing computer system, we can't find him. We use the address of the doctor and look up a Goofmart Pharmacy close by his office and call them. They don't have him either! Our web-based database doesn't have him as well. Nothing is going right today.
At this point were forced to call the doctor, and you know as a pharmacist or technician that is our least favorite thing to do. After a couple of phone calls and a message left with an answering service (mind you, this is the middle of the day on Thursday when most pharmacists and doctors are still slaving away). Why? Because this guy is gone for the rest of the day.
So we had to tell the lady to wait in our waiting room. Poor thing, she was really in pain.
Twenty minutes later the phone rings. I talk to the doc and he gives me the DEA # then asks me to repeat it back to him. Ok, that's fine, so I did. I said "Correct?" and he says, "Yes" and hangs up.
I hand the script to the tech. He types in the DEA #. The computer says it isn't a DEA #. I check it to make sure he typed it in correctly. I'm not actually like most doctors and have really nice handwriting, but I check it anyway and what we have on the computer matches what I've written down.
Soooooo.... we call the doc again and go through the paging process.... again.
Another twenty minutes passes. Doc calls. I tell him what we need to verify his DEA #.
"What did YOU write down?" he asks, pointedly.
I tell him what I wrote down. He tells me the last digit is a 4, not a 3.
"Why did YOU write down a 3?" he asks, with attitude.
"Because that's what you said and verified when I read it back to you," I reply, but not saying "asshole!" at the end of the sentence.
Ignoring my comment, he says, "Well hopefully you wrote it down correctly this time," as a parting shot and then hangs up.
Weird. My DEA doesn't follow these rules and it's real...
ReplyDeleteMine doesn't even come close to following those rules. Of course I would hope a pharmacist wouldn't publish the actual rules
ReplyDelete@anonymous and @kassy... the rules are correct as stated. maybe you need to check your math or ask a third grader to help.
ReplyDeletean exception would occur when a prescriber changes his/her name after being licensed. then the 2nd initial might not match the name. but the numbers would still follow the same format.
mine doesn't follow any of those rules either.
ReplyDelete@was1... no need to be rude. I have three zeros in my number and I know how to add. It follows some of the rules but not all.
ReplyDeleteWell, the rule is either wrong or poorly explained. Mine doesn't even come remotely close to following the rules as posted. I have never changed my name and that doesn't change the numbers anyway.
ReplyDeleteAfter adding my #2/4/6 and then summing the digits of that result it did add up to 7 so maybe that is the actual rule. But that is NOT what was posted.