July 22, 2020

How Should Medications be Packaged for Delivery?

Providing a prescription delivery service for prescription medications meets the needs of patients and can also help protect the health and safety of both patients and pharmacy employees. COVID-19 concerns and shelter-in-place orders have made delivery services essential. Some sources estimate that prescription delivery service can increase a pharmacy's revenue by 6% to 8%. Some pharmacies employ their own delivery drivers, while others contract with third-party same-day delivery services. Providing a prescription delivery service comes with a few key considerations, including: How should I package medications for delivery? When delivering prescriptions via courier, extensive packaging isn't typically required since the medications go directly from the pharmacy to the patient's home. Maintaining Privacy Protecting patient privacy is important when delivering medications via courier service. Medications should be packaged in a plain, non-transparent bag with just the patient's name and address on the outside of the bag. Securing Schedule II Drugs Certain Schedule II drugs, such as opioids and benzodiazepines, are at higher risk for diversion and abuse than other medications. Securing Schedule II prescriptions with a locking cap or other added security layer can help protect pharmacies and courier services ...