At the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, we want to provide you with the safest and best care. This includes making sure you know how to take your medications safely and correctly. We know you may take several medications. It is very important to keep a complete record of all medications and vitamins you take.

Getting medical refills

• Please call your pharmacy for any prescription refills. Do not call your clinic.
• If your prescription says “0” or no refills, please call your pharmacy. Try to do this three (3) business days before you need more medication.
• Important things to know:
  • Your pharmacy will contact our clinic. We will ask your doctor or other health care provider about your medication. They may write a new prescription. Or we may contact you about your medication.

It may take more than three (3) days to get a new prescription if your insurance must approve it or your doctor needs to provide more information. If so, we will tell you about possible delays.

Completing disability/federal medical leave paperwork

We can help you complete disability or medical leave forms. You can send us your forms in these ways:

• Drop them off at the clinic
• Attach them to a secure MyChart message

Please allow up to five (5) business days for us to return the forms to you. We may ask you to sign a medical release form before we complete your paperwork. We will let you know if you need to do this.

How to get your lab test results

You can see the results of most lab tests in MyChart as soon as they are available. This means you may see the results before your doctor or other health care provider sees them.

We will contact you if we need to talk with you about the results. Otherwise, you can talk about them at your next clinic visit. Or your doctor or provider may send you a MyChart message.

You may have tests through doctors or other health care providers who do not work at OHSU. Please contact their office to talk about your results.

Questions about your symptoms

• Call 911 if you have a medical emergency.
• Stay on the phone until a staff member answers if you call us about a symptom. Please do not leave a voicemail. We might ask if the nurse can call you back, but we do want to talk with you directly.
• We will call you back the same day if you call us before 3 p.m.
• We may call you the next business day if you call us after 3 p.m. The nurse will guide you in the next steps. Please do not send a MyChart message if you need help with your symptoms.

Questions about your treatment or lab test results

Please call the clinic or send a MyChart message with questions about your treatment or the results of regular lab tests. We will get back to you right away or within 48-72 hours.

Reaching us after hours, on weekends and holidays

• After regular business hours and on weekends or holidays, call the OHSU hospital operator at 503-494-9000 for urgent issues only. Ask for the oncology doctor on call. This doctor will be able to look up your medical records, but they will not know your entire care plan.
• Please send us a MyChart message for non-urgent issues. We will review it on the next regular business day.

General guidelines for all medications

• Take all your medications as prescribed. Follow the directions on the label. If you do not understand the directions or cannot read them, please call your pharmacy.
• Tell us right away if you want to stop or change your medication. Also tell us if you want to start taking a new or different one.
• Please bring your medications to each appointment at the clinic. Or bring a list of them. We will ask you about everything you take, including vitamins and supplements.
• Please tell us if you have changed any medications since your last clinic visit.
• See a regular doctor or other health care provider for your general health. They may also help you with cancer symptoms or help you contact us.

Using your pain medications safely

Some pain medications can be dangerous. It is very important to take them correctly. Please follow the instructions below.

• Call your doctor or other health care provider before changing how much pain medication you take. Do not take more or take extra doses without calling us.
• Do not drive, use heavy equipment, make important decisions, or drink alcohol while using prescription pain medication.
• If you become pregnant, tell the provider who prescribed your pain medication right away. Also contact the doctor or other health care provider who will take care of you during pregnancy.
• If you have a pain crisis after regular business hours, and your medication is not helping, please call 503-494-9000. Ask the operator to page the oncology doctor on call. The doctor will talk with you. They may suggest you go to the emergency department.
• If your pain is very hard to control, your provider may recommend you visit the Comprehensive Pain Clinic or Palliative Care Service team at OHSU. These providers are experts at helping you manage pain and control your symptoms. They may help you slowly switch to different medications and treatments.
• Please bring any regular medications you need to take during the day to your appointments in the treatment room or your doctor’s office.
• Please tell your care team about your medications from home. Let them know when you need to take them.

Federal legal requirements for prescription pain medications

Prescription pain medication is controlled by U.S. laws. The law says that:

• We can mail the medication to your home. Allow extra days for it to come in the mail.
• We can order your pharmacy to fill a prescription for the medication. You or an approved family member can pick it up.
• We cannot give you a refill early. If you run out of prescription pain medication before a refill is due, you must wait until the next refill time.

If your pain medication is stolen, report it to the police right away. The police will give you a police report number. We will ask for this if you contact us for a refill. We cannot prescribe a refill on this medication without a copy of the police report. If your pain medication is stolen again, we cannot refill the prescription at all, even with a police report.

• Ambulatory Clinic Information
• Ambulatory Medication Policy