The Epidemiology of Prescriptions Abandoned at the Pharmacy
Authors: William H. Shrank, Niteesh K. Choudhry, M. Alan Brookhart
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2011)

Letters17 May 2011The Epidemiology of Prescriptions Abandoned at the PharmacyWilliam H. Shrank, MD, MSHS, Niteesh K. Choudhry, MD, PhD, and M. Alan Brookhart, PhDWilliam H. Shrank, MD, MSHSFrom Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435.Search for more papers by this author, Niteesh K. Choudhry, MD, PhDFrom Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435.Search for more papers by this author, and M. Alan Brookhart, PhDFrom Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-154-10-201105170-00020 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We appreciate the responses to our article about prescriptions abandoned at the pharmacy and must clarify several issues. We did not study prescription fulfillment—that is, the rates at which prescriptions written were ultimately filled and purchased by patients. Our measure of abandonment was the rate at which prescriptions were delivered to the pharmacy, filled, and subsequently returned to stock after a patient failed to purchase them. This issue represents a small slice of the overall problem of medication nonadherence. However, it is an important locus in the medication acquisition pathway, providing a unique opportunity to intervene. In addition, ...Reference1. Fischer MA, Choudhry NK, Brill G, Avorn J, Schneeweiss S, Liberman J, et al. Prescribing in compliance with patient formularies increases primary adherence in patients receiving electronic prescriptions [Abstract]. J Gen Intern Med. 2010;25 Suppl 3 S360. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435.Disclosures: Dr. Shrank: Grants (money to institution): National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood career development award), CVS Caremark. Drs. Choudhry and Brookhart: Grants (money to institution): CVS Caremark; Grants/grants pending: Pfizer. Disclosures can also be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M10-1125. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Epidemiology of Prescriptions Abandoned at the Pharmacy William H. Shrank , Niteesh K. Choudhry , Michael A. Fischer , Jerry Avorn , Mark Powell , Sebastian Schneeweiss , Joshua N. Liberman , Timothy Dollear , Troyen A. Brennan , and M. Alan Brookhart The Epidemiology of Prescriptions Abandoned at the Pharmacy Michael Van Ornum The Epidemiology of Prescriptions Abandoned at the Pharmacy Jeanette L. Altavela Metrics 17 May 2011Volume 154, Issue 10Page: 706-707KeywordsBloodConflicts of interestDisclosureEpidemiologyHealth care qualityHeartLungsPharmacistsSafetyTreatment guidelines ePublished: 17 May 2011 Issue Published: 17 May 2011 CopyrightCopyright © 2011 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...