Why isnt there a database that tells what prescriptions people are on?

Question

so doctors can use that instead of relying on patients to tell them. This would prevent problems with overdose and interactions when people go to different doctors and lie about whatthey are on or their health history.

Answer 1

Sign up today for a CVS/pharmacy online account.  Creating an account lets you:

    * View your prescription records and purchase new prescription medications with the click of a button,

[CVS was just the easiest to yahoo search.  Easy technology web capability.  Would think others offer similar databases.]

Answer 2

privacy... Imagine if you were on Viagra and all your friends could just look it up and everyone could see, of their could be some other embarrassing illness that you would want to keep to yourself

Answer 3

There is no database because a patient's medical history is private information.

Answer 4

Everytime I have gone to the emergency room they ask the medications I'm on and they enter them in to a computer. So when you go back they do have a history of past medications on file. A pharmacy also has a list of all medications you have filled on file.

Answer 5

There is. Your pharmacy has access to it. They have to make sure that your aren't getting the same prescription in many places. They also try to prevent interactions because the elderly (largest group) forget to mention what they are taking.

Unfortunately, your doctor has had little training on interactions of drugs. Your pharmasist has had years of specialized training and his databased system also warns if there is a potential problem.

Answer 6

umm why do you care

Answer 7

There is a data base maintained by pharmacists that allows them to cross reference patient prescriptions.

  This guards against the possibility that a second prescription could be harmful or even fatal.

Answer 8

Because peoples medical records are private. Nobody should have access to your medical records without your permission. Not even another doctor (unless its a life or death situation of course).

Answer 9

I understand where the other people are coming from, but it's not an idea that should immediately be blown off.

What if every person was given a number, and to see a doctor he has to know your number.  He can look up the number and see your previous information on a database that one can only get on if you have proper credentials.  The doctor you go to SHOULD know your history.   Absolutely.

Eh?

Answer 10

In the US, I imagine this would be nearly impossible, because there is no standardized health care system to which all health care practitioners belong. People can go to this doctor, that doctor, this pharmacy, that pharmacy, and if they pay out of pocket, then there's really no way to track what they are buying (might be easier of their insurance were covering their meds, b/c then they'd have billing statements from the pharmacy).

In Canada, there are some computer systems that are accessible through a database (not online) that list what drugs a patient is taking based on their refill history. One of these computer systems is called Pharmanet, and it is *heavily* guarded by IT security. It really helps if the patient can't or won't tell us what he or she is taking.

Issues of privacy are valid--I'm not sure how Canada manages to keep that kind of information without getting consent from patients, but they do.