1. What is Pharmacy Day Supply?

Day supply (DS) is a pharmacy calculation that determines how many days a medication will last based on the total quantity dispensed and the prescribed daily dosage. It's essential for medication management and insurance billing.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the day supply formula:

Where:

• \( DS \) — Days supply (days)
• \( TQ \) — Total quantity (units)
• \( DD \) — Daily dose (units/day)

Explanation: The calculation divides the total quantity of medication by the daily dosage to determine how many days the supply will last.

3. Importance of Day Supply Calculation

Details: Accurate day supply calculation is crucial for proper medication adherence, insurance claims processing, refill timing, and preventing medication shortages or overstocking.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the total quantity of medication in units and the prescribed daily dosage in units per day. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if the medication has multiple daily doses?
A: Calculate the total daily dose by multiplying the dose per administration by the number of administrations per day.

Q2: How do I calculate day supply for PRN (as needed) medications?
A: For PRN medications, use the maximum allowed daily dose rather than the typical dose for conservative estimation.

Q3: What about medications with variable dosing?
A: For titratable medications, use the average expected daily dose based on the prescribing guidelines.

Q4: How does day supply affect insurance coverage?
A: Insurance companies use day supply to determine refill eligibility and coverage limits, typically allowing refills at 75-80% of the day supply.

Q5: Are there special considerations for combination products?
A: For fixed-dose combination products, calculate based on the limiting component or follow specific guidelines for that medication.