No more ‘runners’ at Helen Joseph

Helen Joseph Hospital has undertaken a fact finding mission to review the use of ‘runners’ with the aim of prohibiting the practise in the near future. Runners are individuals who collect bulk medication for more than one patient, often because the person cannot afford frequent trips back and forth to fill recurring prescriptions.

While the hospital declined to give some of the negative outcomes derived from using runners due to patient confidentiality, one can imagine the potential danger in having one person process multiple prescriptions.

“The hospital has had to review all areas that impact negatively on securing patient information,” said hospital spokesperson Monde Ntebe.

“The [practise of using runners] has never been endorsed by the hospital and now a fact finding mission is in place to determine who will be affected so that the hospital can develop appropriate responses to each category of impacted patients.”

Two more reasons were given as to why the practise will be prohibited.

First, the hospital and its pharmacists are bound by the Pharmaceutical Act as well as the standard of procedures, which states that health practitioners must ensure treatment safety for patients.

“We have an obligation to ensure the right person is given the right medication in the right form and dosage and that the person takes the medication at the right time.”

Second, the hospital discourages the use of runners as, to improve care, it is deemed necessary for recovering patients to continue dialogue with their care provider by making regular visits to the institution.

“The hospital is diligently ascertaining what appropriate measures would need to be taken. There are on-going projects in some areas where medication is dispensed to the nearest clinic or old age home. These projects might be extended depending on the availability of a budget and input from the pharmaceutical council.”