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Written by Reed Tinsley, CPA | August 11, 2009
If physicians in your medical practice are careless about leaving their prescription pads lying around, it could be up to you to make sure that the pads are kept safe from those looking for easy access to meds. I think it’s important to keep those pads locked up. While it may be convenient to keep pads in the drawer of each exam room or in the front-desk drawer, if you’re not careful the pads can easily fall into the wrong hands.
And it’s not just patients who might be tempted to pocket a pad. Janitorial staff who come in to clean after hours or maintenance personnel will have access to pads if they’re left out or are easy to find. If the doctors in your office find it convenient to keep a pad at the front desk, be sure that you keep the drawer locked when you leave the desk or finish up for the day.
Prescription pads that are pre-printed with the doctor’s Drug Enforcement Administration number pose an additional risk, because these numbers authorize pharmacies to sell controlled or narcotic-based medications to patients who may need them. In such cases, it is especially important that the pads be kept in secure locations. Although pharmacies usually keep DEA numbers on file, some states require that the number be put on the prescription by the doctor or a designated staff member.
