Final answer:
When unable to consult the PDMP, a dispenser should review the patient's medication profile using alternative resources, apply clinical judgement, document reasons and actions taken, and comply with regional regulations to ensure patient safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a dispenser is unable to consult the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) due to system downtime or other technical issues, they should follow alternative procedures to ensure patient safety and compliance with regulations. Such procedures might include:
- Reviewing the patient's prescription history or medication profile within their own system, if available.
- Asking the patient for their medication history or validating it with previous pharmacies, if feasible.
- Using clinical judgement to determine if the prescription is appropriate.
- Documenting the reason why the PDMP could not be consulted and any steps taken to verify the legitimacy of the prescription.
It is important that the dispenser complies with applicable laws and regulations for their region and documents any decision-making processes used during the time PDMP access is unavailable. If uncertainty exists regarding the validity of a prescription, the dispenser ought to consult with a pharmacist, supervising physician, or seek advice from regulatory bodies.