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29 March 2024

Hospitals do not 'have' to give printed prescription: DHA

Published
By Majorie Van Leijen

When Safeena left the doctor’s room all he wanted to do is go home.

She would get the prescribed medication later, he thought, in an effort to speed up the process.

However, this seemed to be impossible, as the prescription was not available in writing for the patient.

"We were informed that prescriptions are no longer available and we should just go and collect the medicine from the hospital pharmacy.

“The pharmacy informed us that there is no such thing as a prescription to be given, as everything is 'online' now," says the 42-year-old Indian resident in Dubai.

Not all hospitals have taken the measure, however, this is likely to become the case in the future.

Hospitals are no longer obliged to provide the patient with a printed prescription, informs a representative of the DHA helpline, when asked by Emirates 24|7.

With the prescription translated into an electronic request, this electronic request is shown on the computer screen of the pharmacy belonging to the hospital.

The printed prescription does not have to be presented to the patient, he explains.

As per this system, the patient can only purchase the prescribed amount at the hospital pharmacy only, without alteration in the dosage, or place of purchase, leading to the inconvenience of some patients.

Ann Marie Paulson, an American expat in Dubai says she is surprised about the rule.

“I always receive a printed prescription and would not know what to do without it.

“The other day, the medicine I was looking for was not available at the hospital pharmacy. I have had to visit several pharmacies presenting the prescription, and eventually found it somewhere else.”

One way to receive information about the prescribed medication is at the hospital pharmacy, explains the DHA representative.

“Once in the hospital pharmacy, the prescription can be printed if signed and handed out by the pharmacy manager.”

In the second hospital Safeena visited, she was able to retrieve some information from the pharmacy hospital. “At the pharmacy I insisted on a prescription which they gave.

“What they gave me contained a lot of information which I found somewhat indecipherable for the common man.”