Prescription Refills

Old South Maternity Care & Family Practice
Prescription Renewal Policy

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2025: THERE WILL BE A $20 FEE
FOR PRESCRIPTION RENEWALS REQUESTED WITHOUT A VISIT

Why is this policy changing?
The primary purpose is not to collect revenue from patients, but rather to decrease the
tremendous administrative burden of avoidable prescription requests.

Did you know?

• The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) pays for most of your medical visits and services. However, there are many uninsured services, which OHIP does not cover.

• Medical advice, questions, forms and prescription renewals via fax or email are not covered by OHIP (the physician is not being reimbursed a single dollar by OHIP for these services).
• Every day, our office receives a huge number of prescription requests, even frompatients who:
  • Already have repeats at their pharmacy;
  • Call in for one medication one day, and then call in for another a few days later, instead of calling in for them all at once
  • Call in for a prescription even though they just recently saw the doctor andcould have asked for it then.
  • Have misplaced prescriptions that were already given.
• Every single phone call, prescription request, form, letter, note, email, fax, or other such request requires the time, skill, and resources of the staff and physician.

• Hundreds of such requests everyday amount to enormous costs to operate a medical clinic efficiently.

Prescription renewal process without a visit:

• The patient calls reception to request a prescription(s) refill and does not want to book an appointment or is unable to obtain an appointment in a timely manner.

• The receptionist confirms which medications and doses are needed and from which pharmacy.

• The receptionist collects payment from the patient (credit/debit card, cash, or cheque) and a message is sent to the physician confirming the patient’s request and payment.

• Within 72 hours, the request is reviewed by the patient’s physician and a prescription is faxed to the pharmacy in a quantity deemed appropriate by the physician.

• If the physician deems the prescription request to be inappropriate, the patient may be recalled for an appointment.

Clarifications and examples:

• Multiple medications on a single prescription request count as only one e.g. if a patient requests 5 medications at once, the fee is $20 (not $100).

• If a patient calls in for a medication one day, and then again the next day (or even a few hours later), that counts as 2 separate requests, $20 each.

• If a patient requests a prescription renewal, even if he/she should still have repeats, the physician will renew a fresh prescription as requested and the fee applies.

• The fee applies to all telephone and online requests.

How will charging a fee help?
For years, many physicians’ offices have already been charging fee for prescriptions without visits. These offices report the following advantages:

1. Patients take increased responsibility and improve organization of their medications.
2. The number of prescription requests drops significantly, from hundreds down to less than a few per day, in most cases.
3. This frees up staff and physician time to care for patients. It also frees up the telephone and fax lines for more urgent matters.
4. In many cases, if a patient is running out of medications, it is time for the patient to come in for a visit anyway, which in turn improves patient care.

I can't afford to pay, this isn't fair.

• If you can’t afford to pay for a prescription renewal, you can simply book an appointment with ample time before you need your prescription renewed ( Do not leave it until the last minute!).
• Please make sure that you consider that all the physicians have busy schedules.
• You should be booking your medication renewal when you pick up your last refill, or at least 2 months prior to when you need it.
• If you refuse an appointment because it doesn’t fit within your calendar, but the physician’s availability allows them to see you within 3 months, you will be charged a prescription bridging fee of $20.
• We have made it easier for patients to book appointments by implementing an online booking system (https://ocean.tips/old-south-maternity-online-booking) or you can book by phoning our office.

Exceptions:

• Note that some medications will not be renewed without an appointment, even if you are willing to pay a fee. This includes narcotics, stimulants, benzodiazepines and other controlled substances. It also includes medications that are new or where the dose has recently changed. These need to be reviewed with your doctor to determine that the dose and medication are appropriate. 
• Antibiotics are not medications that can be renewed. You must be assessed by a physician to receive this type of medication.
• Patients with complex medication regimens or adverse social situations who are unable to afford the renewal fee may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the physician.

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