Hacker News Reader

My experience is that I don't even need to call to get my prescriptions refilled. I login to my doctor's EMR portal, select medication from the menu on the left, select the check boxes next to the medications I need refills of and click the refill button. A few hours or the next day at the latest my Walgreens app alerts me that my prescriptions are ready.

View on HN

The prescription is probably good for some limited number of refills.

No, if it’s good for refills then that process isn’t even necessary until those refills run out; the pharmacy keeps track of them automatically. What GP is describing is a refill authorization request, which happens when no refills are left. It does require the doctor’s approval, but usually does not require a visit as a matter of course, unless there’s a concern the dosage may need adjusting based on, say, new lab tests.

The above mentioned case of doctors who require a pap smear for birth control is unrelated; it’s a barrier to access to contraceptives, which is motivated not by medical concerns or even greed, but by politics.

>but usually does not require a visit

Things are probably different if this is a long term doctor you've established a relationship with; but in my experience no lab tests were done, just a lot of unnecessary paperwork and pay the lady at desk.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com