Home Forums Discussions Problems ERx: what now?

Just had 2 erxs fail- first failures in 2 weeks.

Gene

No errors or issues on my end today Gene. Everything is going through

So yes, NewCrop has been better of late. But, when they do have problems, the following example is what I would like to see.
As soon as Allscripts has a problem, they shoot out an Email to users. One does not have to come to a forum to poll others about what is happening.
When the problem is resolved, they send another Email.

Alas, it is evident that I still pine for the beautifully functional Allscripts. NewCrop is just not in the same class.

mine going through ok also, my only issue is if I try to go to a patient in the eprescribing tab then click on Manage via NewCrop Screens and there is an unmatched Rx it won't let me into NewCrops to check on patient info there until something done about the unmatched Rx

Donna,

I have not started the Allscripts as a backup, thinking the direct import of e-prescribing request into AC under the E-prescribing tab on the main AC page will not function if I use the Allscripts. Is this true or not?

I am concerned the requests will come through Allscripts and then an additional step or two will be necessary, as long as Newcrop is working well, to send a script electronically but is this true?

Thank you for the information in advance.

Also Newcrop working well here as well.

Jim,

Do you mean refill requests? If that is what you are asking, you can have only one software receiving refill requests. If they are coming to AC now via NewCrop, that will not change unless you complete a form and send it to Surescripts to have them redirect your refill requests.

Send rx out, multiple software.
Refill requests in, can only have one software.

Donna,

Yes that is what I was wondering, so that is reassuring. I was afraid the refill requests would come through Allscripts. Being a stickler for efficiency or a bit lazy depending on one's perspective, I want to be able to match up the scripts in AC and send all in one step like I currently do with Newcrop. THANKS!!!!

A good example of a perfect thread as far as on topic. I say that to be helpful, I hope. So, here are my thoughts. And, I understand completely why users use the
Shout Box, so I won't go there.

First, I don't think AC is generally at fault. While True/True unrelated could certainly apply, we have only been down one day in the entire time we have used ePrescribe. As far as I can recall.

My sense is that NewCrop is down 80% of the time and SureScripts the other 20%. That is just based on intuition.

There have been a few posts that this is a big time-waster. There is no argument here. But, what did we do before ePrescribe. We printed and gave it to the patient. Or we faxed it. No bragging but we can fax directly to the pharmacy, albeit we have to print to PDF first, so not that great of a time saver. Another AC bug. I'll email them. Should be fixed next update. Or just write the pharmacy on the chart, leave on the door, and the MA faxes. Which is what we do as either state or Federal regulations won't allow us to hand a paper script to a Medicaid patient. They may write clavulinic acid at the end of amoxicillin to get Augmentin. The pharmacies usually catch it. Certainly, not as efficient as ePrescribe. I guess if my power is out, I don't keep flipping the light switches. Ironically looking down the road to see if my neighbor's lights are on is like looking at the Shout Box, so I am wrong there again. smile That was just a reference to trying ePrescribe all day long when they are down. Just an observation, lol.

I have a question, since I can't try it since I am not down much. Could someone, just for fun:

The next time ePrescribe goes down, bring up the medication and put a "." at the end, which will make it non-codified, thus unePrescribable. I wonder if it will fax. I imagine it is on the same network, but it would be interesting.

This is an email send to me from NewCrop. It was also sent to a certain company. I don't think it is confidential or sacred. I would strongly consider emailing them. I suppose I would push for not only a better product, but as Donna has mentioned, we need better notification. I think I may know why. Allscripts sends it directly. When NewCrop goes down, they notify AC. When Surescripts goes down, NewCrop notifies AC. It is transparent so if Surescripts connectivity isn't working, then ePrescribe just doesn't work, and you will not know which one. I am not sure which is responsible for making Brewer work and Philadelphia not other than local infrastructures. There was, at least it says, a Cyber Monday issue. There is also a better email address to use. She is extremely helpful and quick to respond. I do think, even though we have had some support staff come on, we are not getting enough or consistent feedback. And, personally, I don't need to know it was server #5 that went down, I would just need 1) not working, 2) estimated down time and 3) working.

I am not sure it is fair to ask AC to refund money for another vendor's fault unless it was ridiculously long. It was also coincidence that after three years, when the price went up, NewCrop/SS went down. And, I can't say too much, but there is effort there.

Greetings NewCropiers,

Yes, my last email saying we had dealt with our reliability issues was premature. Monday?s problems were precipitated by slowness at Surescripts (on the busiest day of the year.) The resulting overload on NewCrop carried over to today. All current issues are now resolved, and we are addressing all aspects...........

We fully understand the impact of our poor performance on the doctor?s practice. We are doing everything in our power to provide the reliable performance you expect and deserve. We believe that we now have a deeper understanding of our technical limitations that supports an effective action plan going forward:

? Impact of Surescripts. The prescription transmitting process has now been modified so that those issues do not globally affect NewCrop.
? Enhanced server monitoring. Additional processes are now being monitored in real time to allow intervention before service is impacted.
? Server status reporting. In the next 2 weeks, we will provide a monitoring service that will allow you to always know if we are having an issue, along with pertinent details. You can pass this information along to your doctors. Yes, we intend that you won't end up needing this, although it will head off the questions we get when we are not the problem.
? Hardware upgrade. We are, this week, starting installation of new servers to double peak capacity. This was not done sooner because our analysis indicated that transaction volume was distorted due to inefficient or incorrect use by EMRs that could be, and was, corrected. However, Monday?s combination of high volume and Surescripts issues made it clear that additional capacity was needed.(We have always monitored overall server loads, allowing, on multiple occasions in the last 10 years, seamless hardware upgrades. For reasons related to an increase in per doctor prescription volume, likely driven by Meaningful Use, our processes did not correctly indicate the growing load, and we fell behind).

Again, our apologies. NewCrop?s performance has been unacceptable, and we do understand the severe impact on you. We do share your goal of providing the best possible e-prescribing services. NewCrop has fallen short. We are now doing everything in our power to prove we can reach, and maintain, that goal.

Sincerely,

Lawrence Susnow M.D.
President, Chief Medical Officer, Founder NewCrop LLC
LSusnow@newcroprx.com

Craig Wagener
Chief Information Officer, Founder NewCrop, LLC
CWagener@newcroprx.com

Here is a personal email from Wendy Farris:

Thanks for getting back to me. I appreciate it. If you do happen to know the fastest way to know if the system is down, please let me know, other than the script just not sending or getting the Win 7 green circle of death. Your EMR is notified by NewCrop that the system is having issues, they then notify you. Does Surescripts go down also, and, if so, how can one tell the difference It?s hard to tell the difference. Rxs will leave NewCrop but you will see them fail because Surescripts is having connectivity issues. Rxs leave NewCrop connect to Surescripts then to the pharmacy. If there are issues with Surescripts, NewCrop notifies the EMR than they are to notify the providers. .
Is there a comprehensive article or white paper on how the ePrescribe system works? There are write ups on the NewCrop Admin page on how Newcrop works. You may also want to go to our website www.newcroprx.com or also www.surescripts.com
How does NewCrop and Surescripts work together? Surescripts is the connection between AC/NewCrop and the pharmacies


Thank you,
Wendy
Fax: 484-348-8153
Director Customer Support
NewCrop, LLC
wfarris@newcroprx.com

This is a tip I posted ten days ago, which never got any feedback. Again, due to low volume of NewCrop or Surescripts down time, we never get to try things much, but we still use it. It can be of some benefit.

You go to AC on either the MA's desk or the Receptionist's desk, and go to the main page of AC. Click on ePrescribing, then Prescription status. Slide the window to the far left so you can still see the status columns. Refresh it every ten minutes and notify the provider if a medication is still queued or whether it is Electronic / Verified. We have trialed it, and if a pharmacist calls to confirm a prescription, it is right there. May be helpful.

The above post was edited for errors. After saving, I tried to fix a few errors, but apparently it was too long to edit. I was plenty scared that I had lost it. At least I copied and pasted to Word, something I highly recommend. So, a few errors I couldn't fix:

1. First paragraph -- obvious
2. Third paragraph -- SureScripts should be Surescripts (and anywhere in the document)
3. Or just write the pharmacy on the chart, leave on the door, and the MA faxes. -- chart = script and leave the chart on the door
4. In the FAQs in the email from Wendy Farris, all of her responses were in bold. Lost them when I tried to edit. I think you can figure it out.
5. In the fourth paragraph, seventh sentence, the word "smile" was supposed to be a smiley, so if you can just picture a smiley there.
6. Although I checked quickly, I can't take full responsibility for grammatical errors in NewCrop's email, but I can point out that according to the Cambridge Grammar of English as well as the English Syntax and Argumentation, there are definitely too many ellipses.

An update from my end (figuratively). I had four notifications of eRx failures on 12/15 and one on 12/17. The ones on 12/15 took about 1/2 hour to come back and the one on 12/17 was very quick. There is more than one problem involved, Bert. One problem is being able to prescribe and the other is that the Rx does not go through. With the first issue, the user knows right away and can do something differently to send the Rx. With the second issue, one is blindsided. The failed Rx on 12/17 was for antibiotic prescribed at the end of the day. Luckily for me and the patient, I saw the notification and was able to resubmit it before the patient reached the pharmacy. If it had been any later, the on call doctor would have been the one notified by the pharmacy or patient, if they thought enough to call. Two problems-the on call doctor would not have known what was going on and a lot of time would have been wasted. I did email Wendy on 12/16 and she emailed back, stating that she could not find any problems with NewCrop or Surescripts. She did email AC support for more info about the transmission #, etc. I have not heard back in regards to the investigation. The failure on 12/17 remains unexplained.

In conclusion, the problems with the Erx are multi-faceted, like many diseases that we treat. I would like some sort of better user notification available, as described above.

This is your let's keep the thread on task supporter, anxiously awaiting a further update from the powers that be.

It is happening again today...2 failures yesterday and 3 today....not good

Todd,

Lease e-mail Wendy Farris, as above. We need to keep the pressure on.

I don't do much e-prescribing, except on when on night call. Most scripts are called in to pharmacies, and through the years we have become friendly with the local, privately owned stores. That being said, I had 3 e-prescription failures on 12/17 and notification didn't arrive until after patient landed at pharmacy.

Thanks Mel. I think I will add "Take this from someone who doesn't have problems with SureCrop. (Great coin I think, lol).

It depends how often the above happens. I do know that SureCrop are adding new servers. Doesn't seem to be working.

If it were me AND I were having intermittent but CHRONIC problems, I would go to faxing.

My advice would not be to bombard Ms. Farris every time there is a problem FROM the SAME person. I would let her know that you may have to stop ePrescribing. Unfortunately, they probably don't make money on each person.

This would be my solution: I don't think it is as helpful for random support people to come on the board and give updates. I think one support person should make a plan with NewCrop for notification. Who knows where NewCrops notification goes. With registrants for coming on here, it is done by me, and two other support people. We work together and no applicant is waiting more than six hours. And, we have special software (installed by me ) Sorry had to say it to weed out most of the spammers.

I think so and so@amazingcharts.com needs to work together with Wendy so this is seamless. And, yes, if it were done that way, I think the notifications of down, time expected and up should go in the Shout Box. Again, I don't think we need to know a tornado took down region 48. As they said on Dragnet, just the facts ma'am. Or in this situation, Just the Fax ma'am.

If you wish I will set that up.

Please read my three emails above. Well, you can skip the English lecture. Please don't get upset.

I think we all know there is a problem with SureCrop. Posting when everyone's goes down is helpful but not getting at the root of the problem.