How to Read Your Healthcare Provider's Prescription

A modern doctor's prescription is often digital, and you may not see it when sent from your healthcare provider directly to the pharmacy. For some controlled substances, digital prescriptions are even required. But when you need to read a prescription, it can still be pretty hard to decipher.

Knowing how to read a prescription will help you understand the meanings of various notations about what drug to use, how it should be dispensed, and how and when to take your medication.

This article will help you understand the abbreviations included when your healthcare provider writes a prescription. You'll be better equipped to decode a prescription or ask questions, which can help you avoid a medication error and give you better insight into your treatment.

Parts of a Prescription

A prescription is always written in a specific way. It identifies you and your healthcare provider, lists the specific medication prescribed, and includes details such as how to take the medication.

Identification

A prescription will always identify the healthcare provider who ordered the medication and the person who needs it. Your first and last name, along with a date of birth, are displayed. Some states require an address.

Some of the provider's information will be obvious to you, such as the name and office you visit. Other elements, including the license number, may be unfamiliar. You may see a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number, which is issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

If your prescription is for certain controlled substances, it also will include a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number.

Medication: The Rx Details

Your prescription (marked by the Rx symbol) needs to include the type of medication, typically with both the brand name and a generic name, when available. For example, a prescription for the common cholesterol medication Lipitor (atorvastatin) may carry both names, but the instructions for filling with a generic are included.

This part of the prescription also includes the strength of the drug (how many milligrams, for example) and the tablet, capsule, or other form in which your healthcare provider wants you to take it. A note called "Disp" refers to this information about how the drug should be dispensed.

The information includes how often you take your medication and the reason for it, called the indication. This is often on the same line as "sig," an abbreviation for the Latin word signetur that refers to the written instructions.

These are some of the notations about how to take medication that are commonly found on prescriptions:

• PO means orally
• QD means once a day
• BID means twice a day
• QHS means before bed
• Q4H means every 4 hours
• QOD means every other day
• PRN means as needed
• a.c. means before a meal
• p.c. means after a meal

Abbreviations about the route of administration (how you take the medication) include the following:

• q.t.t. means drops
• OD means in the right eye (eye drops)
• OS means in the left eye (eye drops)
• OU means in both eyes (eye drops)
• IM means intramuscularly (muscle injection)
• Subq means subcutaneous (under-the-skin injection)
• IV means intravenous (injection in the vein)

You may see a symbol on your script that looks like a "T" with a dot at the top of it. This abbreviation means one pill. There may be one to 4 Ts with dots at the top of them signifying one to four pills.

Other Prescription Information

Additional details often found in a prescription include whether it can be refilled, and if so, the number of times. It also includes permission for substitutes, if necessary, along with a healthcare provider's signature and the date.

Prescription Example

Consider a hypothetical prescription for penicillin written as follows:

• Rx Pen VK 250/ml 1 bottle
• iiss ml qid X 7d

Here is what the notation on this prescription means:

• The medication is Penicillin VK and the healthcare provider ordered one 250 milliliter (ml) bottle, which is about 8 ounces.
• The "ii" means 2 and "ss" means 1/2 which translates to 2 1/2 ml, or 1/2 teaspoon.
• The qid X 7d means four times each day for seven days.

Using the information noted on this prescription, the pharmacist will provide a bottle of Penicillin VK with label directions indicating that 1/2 teaspoon of the medication should be taken four times each day for seven days.

As with other medications, your healthcare provider information (name, office address, NPI, etc.) will appear on the penicillin prescription. So will a signature and the date.

Newer Prescriptions Are Often Simpler

In the digital era, prescriptions may be simpler to read. Having a printed prescription means you won't have to try to read or understand your provider's handwriting. Even when the prescription is sent directly to the pharmacy, your provider will give you printed information about your medication and the condition it's used to treat.

Pharmacies, too, have easy-to-read information in plain language. Usually, you can receive these forms when you pick up the drug. If not, ask the pharmacist if you have questions. They are skilled professionals who are well-trained to answer your questions regarding medication dosages, side effects, and adverse effects.

What to Do if You Can’t Read It

If you don't understand your prescription or the details about it, ask questions. Healthcare providers want you to know what you're taking and why, and feel confident about your treatment.

If you suspect an error on your prescription, notify your healthcare provider and pharmacist right away. Keep an eye on all fields; it's possible to have the right medication but the wrong dosage, for example, or for a provider and pharmacy to miss a potentially serious drug interaction with something you already take.

Summary

There's a good chance that your healthcare provider sends prescriptions electronically and directly to the pharmacy, but you may still need to read a prescription yourself. Decoding a prescription is an important skill that can limit any errors and keep you an active partner in your care.

The notations on your prescription are part of a standard format, written in both English and Latin. It includes three basic parts: information about you, information about your provider, and information about the drug they're prescribing and the reason you need it.

Typically, your pharmacist also will provide information about your prescriptions and include printed material that comes with your medications.