Department of Pharmacy Policies & Procedures

Number: 5:03

Effective Date: Oct 1987

Revisions: 3/96; 5/02; 4/08; 9/09

Approval:  P&T Committee 5/08

Subject: MEDICATION ORDER REVIEW/RENEWAL

A. Policy

Medication Stop Orders are established and implemented for patient safety and to assure adequate follow-up of care for the patient.

B. Established Stop Orders

The following Stop Orders will be observed at UAMS Medical Center:

1. All orders for controlled substances require a review in 5 days and will expire after 10 days.

2. All order will remain active when a patient is transferred between units or services unless specifically discontinued.

3. All medication orders will automatically be "suspended” when a patient goes to surgery.  These must be re-evaluated after surgery.

4. All orders for coumadin/coumarin anticoagulants require a review every 7 days.

5. Antibiotic orders must be reviewed every 14 days.

6. All routine drug orders will expire in 180 days.

C. Extending Therapy

1. When a drug order expires for any of the above reasons, continuation of therapy with that drug is contingent upon a new order by the physician.

2. Any change in the original order for a drug serves as a new order for that drug and the stop order then applies to the new order.