Drive-throughs lead to errors, pharmacists say

From the Columbus (OH) Dispatch:
A drive-through window at your neighborhood drugstore can make picking up medications easier, but some pharmacists say the setup can lead to errors.

In a national survey, an Ohio State University researcher found that a number of pharmacists think the extra steps it takes to serve customers at drive-through windows can cause dispensing errors, miscommunication among staff members and delays in filling prescriptions.

With all the tasks being performed at drugstores -- filling prescriptions, checking insurance coverage, calling doctors' offices and answering patients' questions -- pharmacists say drive-through windows add another chance for errors.

"Maybe for banking and fast-food restaurants a drive-through is great, but I think in your health care, it shouldn't be through a window while you're sitting in a car," said Sheryl Szeinbach, an OSU pharmacy professor and the study's lead author. ...more