Back Ordered Medications

Lately, I have been hearing about certain medications, especially erythromycin ophthalmic ointment, being on “back order.”  I’m not 100% sure what that means, but I have done a little digging into this.  I am aware that there are some facilities that state that an item is on back order if their storage warehouse doesn’t currently have the medication in stock, even if there is a fresh supply in a truck on the way to the warehouse.  I have also learned that some institutions will state that an item is on back order if their local distribution warehouse does not have it, even if there are other distribution warehouses from the same corporation that do have it.  Lastly, given that the “back order” status is determined by the distribution warehouses, there may not be a universal problem obtaining the medication if someone states it is on back order.  For example, one pharmacy corporation may not have a supply in any of its warehouses, but a different pharmacy may have plenty and be unaware of any issue.  Therefore, it is sometimes helpful for a patient to shop around at different pharmacies if they are told that an item is on back order.  This is more difficult in the modern era of e-prescribing, but one idea to get around that problem is to e-prescribe and print.  One can send an electronic prescription to the preferred pharmacy but also give the patient a printed copy of the prescription if there is a known “back order” issue.