[The prescription as an aid for communication between physicians and pharmacists. A study of errors and insufficient...

Traditionally the pharmacist and the physician have played separate roles in the delivery of prescription drugs to patients. One reason for this is the potential for errors during this complex process. The prescription is the key instrument in the communication between the two professions. By screening a large number of prescriptions we found several errors involving potential harm to the patient. We also found that the prescription often contains insufficient information, thereby making it difficult for the pharmacist to evaluate the medication. Quality assurance is of vital importance in both the prescribing and the dispensing process. Professional cooperation between pharmacist and physician should combine the unique knowledge of both professions and thereby achieve optimal drug therapy for the patient.