Exam of Dean Ast
By Mr. MacKay
Thursday, February 3rd, 2005
effects, let alone drug interactions. And
ultimately we will dispense that medication
with some verbal advice of how to take it,
what possible side effects that may occur or
what to watch out for. And we also may
supplement that information with written
documents.
31
Q
Always or just sometimes?
A
I would not guaranty always. I would suggest
for a new prescription, it would be most of
the time, if not close to always, but -- and
the reasons for that are is that sometimes new
prescriptions, somebody has been on some
samples, might be one example, they've had
that medication already and have been
explained a number of different things.
32
Q
So it's common for patients to come to you
then and indicate that they've had samples
from their doctor?
A
It's fairly common. It's also one of the
questions that we do regularly ask our
clients.
33
Q
And if you know that a person has been
provided samples, does that -- how does that
affect your questioning of that person?
A
Well, if they've obviously been taking the
Exam of Dean Ast
By Mr. MacKay
Thursday, February 3rd, 2005
medication already, we will find out how they
have been taking it, when they've been taking
it, and we will be asking them if they have
any side effects. We may lead them down the
road with specific questions of more common
side effects that we might expect, I guess
just to verify that everything's going okay.
34
Q
Okay, now you indicated that you sort of have
an interviewing process, you look for
complications or evidence that some side
effects have demonstrated themselves. Do you
have -- like, is this all from memory?
A
No.
35
Q
How is that?
A
Our computer system. We log each and every
prescription to each -- according to each
patient. So it's organized as per each
patient and organized chronologically. We
also do keep a variety of notes on patients as
we see fit for any issues, problems,
questions, things that come to light that we
feel may be worthwhile to add to their file.
36
Q
So you keep an actual hard file for a patient?
A
No, the only hard file that we keep is the
actual hard copy prescription that is either
provided to us or that we reduce to writing if
Exam of Dean Ast
By Mr. MacKay
Thursday, February 3rd, 2005
it's a verbal prescription when that
prescription is brand-new. Every other record
for refills is kept on computer.
37
Q
All right. And so how do you check the
notes? Like, where do you keep your notes?
Are they also logged into the computer?
A
A number of the notes are logged into the
computer. Some of the notes, depending on
what they are, may be logged with that
original prescription.
38
Q
Okay. And how long have you been tracking
prescriptions that way? Or clients? I'm not
sure which is the better way to put it,
tracking prescriptions or tracking --
A
Well, written prescriptions, from as long as I
can remember we've always had to keep the
original copy of that prescription. In my
time of practising, we were on a manual system
in the early to late 80's. And we had a
manual patient profile that we would log the
type of information I've just described to
you, and if I believe correctly it may have
been 1988 that we went onto a computerized
system.
39
Q
And has that system under gone any significant
changes between 1988 and 2002?