Prescription

RE: Prescription

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 24 May 2017 10:40:38 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]So clients who complain about the cost and make efforts to source their drugs cheaper get a discount, but loyal clients who don't complain pay you more? Sounds very unfair to me. [/quote]Not at all. The same deal is for everyone: buy 3 months worth of say Felimazole and I will discount it down to 50% markup rather than 100 and with someone who is genuinely struggling to pay and really can't afford full price I might discount it even more. But they must come back every 3 months for a check/bloods.

RE: Prescription

Thomas Johnson — Wed, 24 May 2017 09:41:03 GMT

My first instinct is to agree with you that this isn't fair on clients who pay the full price, but if the profit on selling the medication at the reduced price is more than the written prescription charge, and the client would definitely have asked for a written prescription if they hadn't been offered a discount, I can understand why practices do it.

RE: Prescription

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 23 May 2017 21:27:02 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]That said I have very few owners requesting prescriptions because I will discount the drugs down to make a win win situation.[/quote]

So clients who complain about the cost and make efforts to source their drugs cheaper get a discount, but loyal clients who don't complain pay you more? Sounds very unfair to me.

(I'm the type of person who doesn't complain or begrudge people their fee so I'd end up paying more. )

RE: Prescription

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 23 May 2017 19:12:36 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]As long as we make sure that both cats are seen at the appropriate time to be examined and have blood taken does it matter? [/quote]True so long as they appreciated this. That said I have very few owners requesting prescriptions because I will discount the drugs down to make a win win situation.

RE: Prescription

Thomas Johnson — Tue, 23 May 2017 17:07:54 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Well there is, it is obvious that they're using the same drug for multiple animals without your sanction so you need to take charge and tell them it is not acceptable. If they decide to leave then so be it, these people are hardly added value customers who will spend money with you on something else if they're always looking for a cheap way to do things.[/quote]

Here's an example, 2 cats in the same household, both hyperthyroid, both well controlled on Felimazole 2.5mg bid. They only have one bottle of Felimazole open at a time and medicate both cats from the same bottle. We would either supply a bottle of a hundred tablets (or write a prescription for the same) as requested, they are paying the same as if they had a separate bottle for each cat. As long as we make sure that both cats are seen at the appropriate time to be examined and have blood taken does it matter?

RE: Prescription

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 23 May 2017 16:34:29 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]We have a strict rule 1 dog, 1 drug 1 prescription.[/quote]This is half the point really isn't it. The client is obtaining their drugs from elsewhere depriving us of profit this is about the only way we can limit that without sneaking is stealth charges to compensate

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]We will do it for anti-parasite treatment, but not for anything else, though I know that we have clients with 2 animals on the same medication that share medications between them (Felimazole comes to mind), there's not much we can do about it.[/quote]Well there is, it is obvious that they're using the same drug for multiple animals without your sanction so you need to take charge and tell them it is not acceptable. If they decide to leave then so be it, these people are hardly added value customers who will spend money with you on something else if they're always looking for a cheap way to do things.

RE: Prescription

Thomas Johnson — Tue, 23 May 2017 14:25:11 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

I wouldn't but you could. You can prescribe for a herd or flock of farm animals. No reason you couldn't prescribe for "Smith dogs" if you really wanted to.

We have a strict rule 1 dog, 1 drug 1 prescription.

[/quote]

We will do it for anti-parasite treatment, but not for anything else, though I know that we have clients with 2 animals on the same medication that share medications between them (Felimazole comes to mind), there's not much we can do about it.

RE: Prescription

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 22 May 2017 22:12:11 GMT

I can't see anything to that effect anywhere.

Eg (edited down for clarity)

When prescribing a medicine classified as POM-V or POM-VPS or supplying a medicine classified as NFA-VPS, the RQP:

the information that must be kept when a veterinary medicinal product is supplied is detailed in Record keeping requirements for veterinary medicines.

For pets/companion animals the following in respect of each animal:

1. No of animal(s)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/retail-of-veterinary-medicines

RE: Prescription

Vet2Vet — Mon, 22 May 2017 22:00:30 GMT

Yes Michael , I agree with your policy but I thought ( probably erroneously ) that companion animals should have individual prescriptions

RE: Prescription

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 22 May 2017 21:58:16 GMT

I wouldn't but you could. You can prescribe for a herd or flock of farm animals. No reason you couldn't prescribe for "Smith dogs" if you really wanted to.

We have a strict rule 1 dog, 1 drug 1 prescription.

RE: Prescription

John Wessels — Mon, 22 May 2017 21:53:40 GMT

sure you can...