Medical prescription

Medical prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other qualified health care practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. The term often refers to a health care provider's written authorization for a patient to purchase a prescription drug from a pharmacist.

Definition

A medical prescription is an order (often in written form) by a qualified health care provider to a pharmacist or other therapist for a treatment to be provided to their patient. A prescription is part of a health care provider's treatment plan for the patient and the specifics of the prescription can include the following information: the identity of the patient, an instruction from the prescriber directing the pharmacist on what medication to dispense, and directions on use.

History

The concept of prescriptions dates back to the beginning of history. So long as there were medications and a method for prescribing them, there have been people who require written instructions for medication. The first recorded prescriptions were etched on a clay tablet in Mesopotamia around 2100 BC.

Types of Prescriptions

There are two types of prescriptions in the United States: written prescriptions and electronic prescriptions.

Written Prescriptions

A written prescription is a document that a healthcare provider gives to a patient to present to a pharmacist to obtain the medication that the healthcare provider has decided to prescribe for the patient.

Electronic Prescriptions

An electronic prescription is one that a healthcare provider enters into an electronic system and sends directly to a pharmacy, rather than giving the patient a paper prescription to take to the pharmacy.

Prescription Writing

Prescription writing is something that physicians and other healthcare providers do every day. It’s important to write prescriptions in a clear, concise way to avoid any confusion or mistakes when the prescription is filled.

Legal and Regulatory Issues

In many jurisdictions, it is regulated and requires a medical prescription for sale. The regulation of drugs varies by jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the United States, they are regulated at the national level by a single agency. In other jurisdictions they are regulated at the state level, or at both state and national levels by various bodies.

See Also

• Pharmacy
• Pharmacist
• Medication
• Health care provider

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