Question

A medical assistant is entering a new prescription into a patient's electronic medical record (EMR). While entering the prescription, an alert notifying the assistant of a medication interaction appears on the screen. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

A) Ignore the alert and proceed with entering the prescription
B) Disregard the alert and inform the patient about the prescription
C) Consult the provider for an alternative medication
D) Override the alert and continue entering the prescription

Answer 1

The medical assistant should consult the provider for an alternative medication when an alert for a medication interaction appears in the EMR. Ignoring or overriding the alert without provider consultation could result in patient harm and professional liability.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a medical assistant encounters an alert for a medication interaction while entering a prescription into a patient's electronic medical record (EMR), the appropriate action to take is to consult the provider for an alternative medication or further guidance on how to proceed. It is crucial to address these alerts since they are designed to prevent potential adverse effects that could result from the interaction of the prescribed medication with other medications the patient may be taking or with certain medical conditions the patient may have.

Ignoring the alert or overriding it without consulting the healthcare provider could result in harm to the patient and could also be a liability for the healthcare professional involved. Therefore, the medical assistant should immediately bring the alert to the attention of the prescribing provider and not proceed until a safe course of action has been determined.