What term describes when a patient brings a prescription from home to be used in a hospital setting?

• A. Cross-docking
• B. Push ordering
• C. Secondary dispensing
• D. Brown Bagging

Answer: (D)

Brown-bagging is the practice where a patient brings their own prescribed medications from home to be used during a hospital stay. This term fits perfectly because the scenario centers on patient-provided meds carried into the hospital for administration, often in a brown paper bag. It’s distinct from other terms: cross-docking refers to a logistics technique for moving goods with minimal storage, push ordering is a method of inventory replenishment, and secondary dispensing describes dispensing meds to another setting or party, not the patient’s own medications. In a hospital, this practice raises safety and reconciliation concerns, which is why it’s a well-known term in medication management.