Prescription Parts & symbols
What is the Superscription?
The symbol "Rx" found at the top of a prescription, meaning "take thou."
What is a Bank Identification Number (BIN)?
A 6-digit number on an insurance card used to route and process a prescription claim electronically.
What are Behind the counter (BTC) medications?
Non-prescription drugs kept behind the counter that require a pharmacist's intervention before purchase.
What is Aphasia?
A speech or communication disorder resulting from damage or stroke to the language areas of the brain
What are Over the Counter (OTC) medications?
Medications that do not require a physician's prescription to purchase off the shelf.
What is the Inscription?
The section of a prescription containing the drug name, dosage form, strength, and quantity.
What is a National Drug Code (NDC) number?
A 10- or 11-digit number made of three segments that uniquely identifies the manufacturer, product, and package size.
What is a Chain pharmacy?
A corporate-owned group of pharmacies sharing a brand name, central management, and standardized practices.
What is Dysarthria?
A speech deficiency caused by a lack of normal muscular control over the speech mechanism.
What is a Nonproprietary (generic) name?
The official, non-trademarked chemical name recommended for a drug.
What is the Signatura (Sig)?
The patient directions on a prescription explaining how to take the medication, from the Latin meaning "write on label."
What is a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) number?
An alphanumeric ID consisting of 2 letters and 7 numbers assigned to prescribers authorized to order controlled substances.
What is E-Prescribing?
The computer-to-computer transfer of prescription data between prescribers, pharmacies, and insurance payers.
What is a Drug Utilization Evaluation (DUE)?
An ongoing review of provider prescribing, dispensing, and patient drug use to ensure medication safety.
What is a Proprietary (brand) name?
The trademarked brand name under which a manufacturer markets a drug product.
What is the Subscription?
The section of a prescription that provides specific instructions to the pharmacist on how to compound or dispense the order.
What is Adjudication?
The electronic process where a prescription claim is submitted to an insurance company for reimbursement.
What is a Help Desk?
A toll-free 24/7 hotline operated by insurance companies to assist pharmacists with billing questions.
What is a Therapeutic Alliance?
A trusting relationship built between a healthcare worker and a patient with mutually agreed treatment goals.
What is the Federal Legend?
The required warning on prescription drug packaging stating "Federal law prohibits dispensing without a prescription."
What are Auxiliary labels?
Extra stickers attached to a prescription bottle to provide supplementary safety and storage warnings.
What are Dispense as Written (DAW) codes?
Numerical NCPDP codes used when billing to indicate whether a generic or brand-name drug must be filled.
What is Repackaging?
The practice of reducing the amount of medication from a large bulk bottle into smaller containers or doses.
What are Refills?
Permission granted by a prescriber to replenish a medication order.
What is a National Provider Identifier (NPI)?
: A unique 10- or 11-digit identifier issued by CMS to covered healthcare providers for billing purposes.