There are a few basic principles about prescription refills at Bellevue Family Medicine:

1. We need to be accurate and we desire to be timely with your medication refills.
2. We constantly try to keep your medication refills ordered for a year at a time, (when it is safe) thus minimizing your calls and our office time in refilling them.
3. Due to the complexity of health problems and the use of multiple medications, we MUST refer to your chart or your provider every time a refill is requested.
4. Most patients on medicines need blood tests on a regular basis (usually every 3, 6 or 12 months) to ensure effectiveness and safety. These tests must be done when you are taking the prescribed pills, and NOT AFTER THEY HAVE RUN OUT.
5. Many medications cannot be safely refilled until AFTER the results of monitoring blood tests are completed and interpreted. Doses are often changed and some medicines are switched or discontinued.

THEREFORE WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING POLICY

Before calling BFM check the bottle for the number of refills left. If “0″ or “no refills” appears on the bottle, you most likely need an appointment to be seen. If you need a refill before you can be seen, CALL YOUR PHARMACIST-NOT BFMA, and request a refill. If there are refills remaining, ask the pharmacist for the next refill.

Make this call at least 5 working days before you run out of medication if you use a local pharmacy, but at least 14 working days if you have a mail order source for your medications.

Your pharmacist will then send us a request by fax or phone; we will pull your chart and evaluated your situation; allow a refill or suggest you must be seen or have a blood test before the refill can be safely and accurately processed.

We do NO MEDICATION REFILLS OF ANY TYPE AT NIGHT OR ON WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS. We insist on access to your chart to safely perform this job for you.

WE NEVER WANT YOU TO RUN OUT OF YOUR ESSENTIAL MEDICATIONS (birth control pills, thyroid, cholesterol, arthritis medications, etc.), so plan ahead and always be aware of the status of your medication pill count and refill count.