The thing about paper scripts is it forces the patient to be part of the transaction.
They have to come in to the office to get a piece of paper.
They have to come in every three months for a one-minute med check for $75
They have to safeguard it -- I won't rewrite it if they "lose" it.
They can't lose EPCS scripts. All three are there. And, I can't rewrite it, because the pharmacy has them on file.
If the pharmacy doesn't have or won't fill the prescription, they can take it somewhere else.
Yes, sometimes we do have to send it to another pharmacy. But, they can't go to this pharmacy this time and a different one next time without our knowledge.
It doesn't cost me anything for additional software and the headaches involved in that.
You already have AC. You must have eRx? So, clicking on NewCrop isn't that hard. No headaches here.
It doesn't frustrate me waiting for the program to execute and the various identity checks to occur.
Send the script. Then click on Approve on your phone. If you want, you can see that all scripts were sent to pharmacy A and were verified successful at pharmacy A.
It doesn't fail when the internet goes down.
When the Internet is down we are allowed to use paper and write Internet down. Then we print to tamper-proof paper on the Star printer. Three sent. Three more. In seconds.
Advantages:
Complete "paper" trail.
Patients can't lose script, say dog ate script, flush it down the toilet, give it to someone else, change it, etc.
MAs usually don't fill out your paper scripts. But, they do set up all controlled scripts, so it is just click, click and tap approve.
I think the big difference is I think you are talking about a script for oxycodone. One script. Or a script maybe for Ativan.
But out med checks are usually three, six or nine scripts.
Concerta 54 mg ER
Concerta 54 mg ER
Concerta 54 mg ER
methylphenidate IR 10 mg in afternoon
methylphenidate IR 10 mg in afternoon
methylphenidate IR 10 mg in afternoon
And, sometimes a 5 mg at noon so three more.
So, that patient would require me to write nine separate scripts (unless you are printing them to paper -- then maybe not as big an advantage)
But, it is nice to have the nurse set up those six as pending. And, send all three or six or nine in one click. Pharmacy puts 1 of 3, 2 of 3 and 3 of 3 on file.
Three months. Med check. One minute. $75 Rinse and repeat.
I guess just different styles. eRx was the greatest thing to happen. And, EPCS was the second. And, pretty cool to send Adderall XR to Pennsylvania where the patient is at college.
