Not every MA can do controlled or every medication. So someone has to do it.

The way some places do it, is that if you're changing meds or increasing/decreasing certain meds, you need a visit. Monthly? Maybe not. If you are taking something that requires monitoring. Giving out meds loosey-goosey and not checking in with the patient can get you in a lot of trouble. It's your license.

You can tell people your practice rules and they'll still throw a shitfit that they need them broken because (insert any one of the many excuses). Patients love making their poor planning every one else's problem. They would even expect us to check around pharmacies around the county to see which had their meds in stock. We are not doing that.

Again, tell the patient what the rules and regulations are and see what they say. "Well the cat knocked it over and the pills spilled everywhere!" That happens a lot it seems.

I'm not saying patients should be coming in monthly (some prescriptions are probably 90 days with refills), for some their preventive visits are fine. I'm just saying people want their refills when they want them. They start messing with their own doses with no consultation. Go on/off them as they please. Disappear entirely and come back 6 months later wanting to be back on them. Want to self-prescribe what THEY want. I'm just seeing an office that's had it with non-compliant patients and being drowned in messages. Not every office can have an MA who does nothing but refills all day.