Home Forums Discussions Problems Refills from ERX

This may seem like a dumb question, but we are new to the world of erx. We are successful in sending scrips, however now pharmacies are electronically sending us refill requests and we can't figure out where to see them on version 5. Can you lead me in the correct direction...it is hard being so far from the light!

To simply see whether the pharmacies have sent you refill requests, use the drop-down menu heading Online Services. Choose "Electronic Prescribing". The NewCrop window opens showing the pharmacy renewal requests. You can't authorize the refills from this window, only check if any are pending.

To approve a refill request, enter the patient name in the Patient List search box at the left of the main AC window. Right click on the patient name, and choose "Medications & Prescribing". In the window that opens, click on the ePrescribing drop-down menu item at the top left of this window, and click on "Manage via NewCrop Screens". The NewCrop window opens, displaying the patient's med list. At the top center of this window is a line "Pharm: , Fax: , Pend:". The "Pharm" is in red if prescription(s) are waiting to be approved. Click on this line, and keep clicking on the patient's name in each subsequent window that opens until you reach a screen that asks you to fill in the number of refills. When you click "Accept", you are done -- with this patient.

You repeat the process for each patient on the refill list. It's tedious, but I hear a future AC version may bring the whole process into the Medication window on AC.

Credit goes to Steven, but in steps:

1. In the main window type CTRL + P. Or click on electronic prescribing on the Online Services tab at the top.
2. If you have a refill, there will be a patient name there with the medication listed. You will be very tempted to just click on the name, which will bring you to an informative screen, but it will get you nowhere.
3. Now that you know the patient's name, you go to their chart in AC. (I know, kind of roundabout) You have to close the web page first. (Even more roundabout)
4. Right-click on the patient and choose Medications and ePrescribing. Click on the ePrescribing tab at the top left. Click on Manage via NewCrop Screens. Now, hold your breath and hope there is no error window. Don't worry, there will be. Actually, the chance of an error window is directly proportional to the number of scripts in your Current Medications.
5. The error window will list all of the medications which are causing the issue and tell you the problem. You must then go back and fix the problem in the medication. Most of the time it is the famous Disp #, because you have something like 30 mL when it wants 30. Don't forget that after you click on the medication so you can edit it, and you remove the mL, you have to Prepare Script and Prescribe so it is saved. Tip: For some reason, it will at times give an error even when you just have a number like 30. So, I always clear the entire field and type 30 again. I know one person who clicks on a med, enters 0, clicks on another and enters 0, then prescribes them all.
6. Finally, clicking on the ePrescribing/New Crop button, will bring you back to the New Crop site. You will be in a slightly different window which will have your patient plus ALL of his or her medications listed. I guess this is some type of legality so you know all the meds before you refill the one they want refilled. (Easy enough so far?)
7. Even though you can click on many things, especially medications, this will only take you on an non-ending circutuitous loop NewCrop excitement. I suppose each screen gives new information.
8. Instead, click on the red Pharm 1 button at the top or Pharm # of refills ready for you. You will probably only see your patient listed once, but if you have gone on the NewCrop link to link merry-go-round, you may have the patient listed more times. Click on the one that says: Patient with DOB under it.
9. Almost done. This is the screen you have been searching for. And, if you're lucky, you will see your patient name under Patient Search Results which can be clicked on again. Now, don't be frustrated, this is only click #29.
10. Click on the patient's name. Success! This is the payoff page. IT will say Confirm pharmacy request and renewall match!!! The !!! are not mine, they are NewCrops. You can choose Deny if you wish. There are 14 reasons to deny the refill not including "I just don't want to refill it." On the right you will see a red Accept button with a 1 + 0 field. Apparently, we couldn't just assume that the refill will be counted as one. Enter the number of refills or leave 0 and click on Accept.
11. A fun thing to do is have your MA call it in while you do the NewCrop refill game and see who wins. If your MA has the pharmacy on speed dial, you will always lose.

No, actually, it's not that bad. Usually, if clicking on the NewCrop button in AC goes well the first time, you can click on the name, then click on it one more time, and you are where you need to be.

Where I got confused is sometimes the patient's name isn't there after the first click. This is because the name the pharmacy has is slightly different than what AC has. It may be Smith, Mike S. and they just want Smith, Mike. In the search field, leave Smith, but just type in the first three letters such as Mik for the first name, and it will usually find the patient.

From my understanding, v5.1 will have changed all this, and the prescription refill request will come directly into your inbox where you can process it without going to the NewCrop screen. Much easier, but it will take all the fun out of it, and you won't get to compete with your MA.

1. Under the online services click on eprescribing. A list of rx that didn't go through or ones that need refills will appear.
2. I go back to the patient chart and click on the med already in the list and send it again. I then deny the one on the refill page.
3. Any faxed refills I just click on the med in the list, send again, and delete the digital fax or throw away the paper fax.

The advantage to using the refill page under NewCrop is that the pharmacy cost is 1/2 for receiving the refill and it is linked to the other one. If you do not do the linking then if the pt. then calls the automated refill line it will still appear to not have a refill and will send it again.

I think we just have to bear with this until the next version of e prescribing comes along (I think within a month) - it is a bear but works after you get used to it. I have been using NewCrop for 1 year and it used to be so much harder and less helpful. It will get even more AMAZING.

1. I think it is more fun to do it from the website.

2. Steve, given what you are saying about the 1/2 thing, are pharmacies more likely to continue to send refills electronically rather than fax them to you if you use the system?

That question is without regard to the new system coming down the pike?

Also, can you tell me/us more about the refill phone line?

Most pharmacies, especially independent ones want to do the electronic refills since it greatly affects the bottom line. I spoke with a pharmacist and their original price was 0.10 per e scrip charged by their software vendor (imagine that at 300-400 per day) and refills were down to 0.05 - that has reportedly gottten better, but their vendors have them over a barrel with a proprietary system.

Some pharmacies just have problems figuring it out - surprisingly my 2 small pharmacies where I know the owners were able to get it up and running quickly - one with WM initials still cannot do it.

Many pharmacies have interactive voice recognition where pt. can punch in their prescription number and it will trigger the pharmacy computer - if there is a refill available it will put it in the queue (and if they have a robot - fill the scrip, label it and make it so the pharmacist just verifies and puts on the lid), if there is no refill it will either fax the dr or send a eprescribe refill request - some pharmacies actually look at refills and when they do the last one they will automatically send one to the doctor. If I e-refill it based on their request they can link it so that the refills show up. Then when the pt. wants their scrip they call the number, punch in the number and the computer recognizes they have a refill available and fills - if I sent a new scrip and ignored the electronic request then the IVR just refaxes me for a refill.

When AC irons out the refills so you never have to go to the newcrop screen it will be great - fast, easy and makes a note in the chart. Until then you can do it however you want, but I do it so that my pharmacies get in the habit of sending e-refill requests.....