THOMPSON LTC PHARMACY
600 E. Chestnut Ave Altoona, PA 16601 Tel. 814.944.5837
LABEL CHANGE QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
General Information
-Label changes by the pharmacy are performed when a medication order has been changed.
-The pharmacy generally makes every attempt to send a new supply of the medication even if there is still medication left in the cart.
-When a resident’s insurance will not pay for a new supply of the medication, if a medication regimen changes frequently, or if the medication is expensive a label change form may be issued by the pharmacy.
Label Change Timeframe
-Label changes are always initiated by the pharmacy.
-Label changes begin when the techs at the pharmacy fill out a label change form after receiving the faxed order change.
-The Thompson Pharmacy delivery driver will give the white paper copy of the label change form to the nursing staff on the first scheduled delivery of each weekday. When given this white label change form, staff will return the requested medication to the pharmacy with the driver along with the label change form immediately.
-Thompson Pharmacy will re-label the medication returned with the new directions when received.
-Medications that have completed the label change process will be returned to the facility on the next scheduled delivery with a yellow copy of the label change form to alert staff that the medication was recently relabeled.
Tips Regarding Pharmacy Label Changes
-Label changes only occur on weekdays on regularly scheduled deliveries.
-Do not destroy or dispose of medications that have been changed until you receive either the new order from the pharmacy or the label change form.
-Products that are packaged in bags or boxes may be kept at the facility while the bags or boxes are returned to the pharmacy for relabeling.
-Label changes should NEVER be initiated by the facility by returning medication to the pharmacy using Record of Release or Disposal of Drugs forms. Items that are returned to the pharmacy in this manner go directly to a separate area for immediate disposal.
-Slight alterations to orders such as adding indications that do not change when the medication is given or how it is given, may not have label changes automatically initiated by the pharmacy.
-When label changes are required for medications that are to be given during the time when the medication is at the pharmacy to be relabeled, the pharmacy may send a replacement dosage so the patient does not go without their medication.
-When orders do change, it is always appropriate to use Directions Changed Refer to Chart stickers to alert other staff to the change regardless of whether a label change will be required.