Physician dispensing refers to the fulfillment of a prescription, at the point of care, to a patient, either by the prescribing physician or another licensed staff member at the practice. The prescribed medication(s) are given directly to the patient following their consultation (as opposed to sending them to a pharmacy for fulfillment). Physician dispensing saves time and money for patients, improves satisfaction and medication compliance, and can be an additional revenue source for healthcare providers.
In most states in the U.S., physicians have the right under their medical license to diagnose, prescribe, and dispense legend drugs, but the guidelines vary from state-to-state regarding which practitioners are permitted to, and under what circumstances they may provide medications to patients. Some states require additional licensure, education or permits in order to dispense. For more information on the dispensing regulations in your state, please click on the state in the map below.
*First Coast Health Solutions is able to service all states that allow physician dispensing. We have provided a few select states’ regulations for reference and will add more soon. If you don’t see your state listed, please contact us for more information.