Home Forums Discussions Problems Preferred pharmacy

Preferred pharmacy does not seem to "take" for us from either demographics or the prescription writer. Is it working for others? Is there some trick?

I have read in the forum about a problem with it taking the preferred pharmacy from demographics, but no issues about the prescription writer.

Works OK for me, but I never put it in by demographics.

I have entered them in demographics also - if you search the proper way and enter them from the database it works both ways. It will not take and hold if you choose a pharmacy like MEDCO and try to make it default (leaves it blank).

Here is what seems to happen:
When go to write the script, it opens with a a blank or sometimes a zip code for the pharmacy, but almost never the correct zip, either. Rarely it presents a couple of nearby pharmacies, but never the correct one. If it seems to work for most users, then maybe it is a tech support issue.

I would check with tech support but do the following:

New pt - no pharmacy chosen.
Go in and enter allergies - confirm.
Enter a new scrip.
Enter town, state and choose pharmacy - send electronic with box checked to make preferred.
Close and then recheck that day and the next and should stay.

The Zip code in the pharmacy box should default to the zip code for the patient in their demographics, eg pt. lives in 98xxx and that should be default in scrip writer.

I think the zip defaults ok, but the pharmacy does not seem to stay. Since it works for others, I will try it as you suggest.

The only pharmacies I cannot get to stay is Mail Order like Medco - I think this is programmed that way (annoying).

When e-prescribing, usually the pharmacy comes up with the patient's zip code or city and I am able to save it as the preferred.

Other times it comes up blank and I have to add the city or zip and find the correct pharmacy, and even though the save as preferred box is checked it seems that it will not save as preferred in those circumstances.

Not sure if the patient's demographic fields are not filled in or??

Greg

I asked tech support about this today, finally. "It is a known bug, they are working on it."

5.1 release date "soon, maybe September".

I can start another thread if that is better, but we have been trying to find mail-order pharmacies in the current ePrescribing, here is the punch list we are working:
Medco - think it is - 255 Phillipi Rd Columbus OH, 43228
Express Scripts after ~10 calls and 5.5 hours, no idea
Prescription Solutions - unknown
CVS CareMark - unknown
Women's International - unknown
Wellpoint - unknown

If anyone can update this with the address info to locate these, let me know and I'll unpdate this post.

I am not going to be at the office for a bit, so can't try this, but...

If you have the fax number for the patient's pharmacy, can you do a "reverse number lookup" on Google?

@David...I do this almost every day. Patients call in for a refill and give the secretary the pharmacy phone number which is of no direct use for e-prescribing. Until I can get the staff to remember to ask for the pharmacy name and address (which I can use), I Google the pharmacy phone number and usually get a the info I need.

I have heard that Express Scripts, Medco, Caremark won't take e-scripts. Is that correct?

Jon,

I can't remember which ones do what, but at least some of the ones mentioned accept faxes off the network. Surescripts sends the Rx as a fax if the pharmacy is not on the e-prescribing network. For instance, if you put "Medco" as the pharmacy name, you will see "Medco fax only" listed, and that one works. Costco is more of a problem as there are hundreds. Sometimes I can use "Costco" and the address on the patient's bottle and get the right one. As soon as the bug that is causing problems in remembering the preferred pharmacy is fixed, life will get a lot easier.

CVS caremark uses 9501 e Shea address for all mail order. Express scripts is a pain in my side...can only FAX at this time. Anyone want to start a silent protest?