title: Repeat prescribing via the receptionist in a group practice.
abstract: As concern has been expressed about danger to patients, a survey about repeat prescribing via the receptionist was carried out in a group practice.About one quarter of the prescriptions in the study period were ;receptionist repeats' and these were compared with a group of repeat prescriptions obtained in the course of consultation. The receptionist repeat group contained a higher proportion of the over 65s, and relatively more men than women, though the consultation repeats and the group as a whole, were heavily biased towards women. Hypnotics and drugs to relax bronchial spasm were found more commonly among the ;receptionist repeats.'This group of patients tended to have been taking their medication for a significantly longer period than their consultation fellows, often for more than five years. Although categorised as ;receptionist repeats,' two thirds of these patients were seen by a doctor more often than six monthly. No direct evidence of any serious danger or disadvantage to the patients was found.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006123:Group Practice; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008496:Medical Receptionists; D008502:Medical Secretaries; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives