Does EPS do high volume?

[Pharmanaut]

First rule of designing the system is to treat the end user like mushrooms.
johnep

... and then try change the way everyone does things to suit the system and call it a workaround.

... and include help files that don't.

The real problem is that EPS is just concerned with Supply and Reimbursement. Prove that by trying to tell it you have made a clinical decision. For example, a simple one to start, its saturday afternoon and a patient walks in with an EPS Cefalexin 250mg Tablets script and you have none in stock, but you do have plenty of the capsules.
On second thoughts, don't try this, you might crash the whole system or even worse might not get paid (OK, payment isn't included in EPS1), but you get the idea.

[NexphaseNorthy]

Hi all, firstly I should emphasise that my thoughts are just that, mine - I no longer work for Cegedim and my comments should not be taken as commensurate with their current policies etc etc.

As I recall the design of the EPS interface was run past focus groups of pharmacist users and, bearing in mind the specifications set out by CfH kept on changing, I don't think they've done a bad job of it.

The eFP10 presents the electronic prescription as a whole (I believe all the other products are label-centric, ie only show one drug line at a time). The system still shows the last 6 months worth of drugs in the PMR history - expandable to show the full history - which shows at a glance when and how frequently in the last six months the drugs have been dispensed, including dates and dosages.

While I'll be the first to agree that more work could be done on the patient mapping, as a 'non-pharmacist' I would be concerned if there wasn't a certain amount of intervention required (ie checking quantities and directions).

For now at least, you are still working with the paper scripts in conjunction with the barcodes. I don't know how you are going to get around checking that dispensers process the scripts correctly while they're labeling, seeing as there will be no paper script for you to check / endorse. That one I don't have a suggestion for!

[Pharmanaut]

Hi all, firstly I should emphasise that my thoughts are just that, mine - I no longer work for Cegedim and my comments should not be taken as commensurate with their current policies etc etc.

As I recall the design of the EPS interface was run past focus groups of pharmacist users and, bearing in mind the specifications set out by CfH kept on changing, I don't think they've done a bad job of it.

The eFP10 presents the electronic prescription as a whole (I believe all the other products are label-centric, ie only show one drug line at a time). The system still shows the last 6 months worth of drugs in the PMR history - expandable to show the full history - which shows at a glance when and how frequently in the last six months the drugs have been dispensed, including dates and dosages.

While I'll be the first to agree that more work could be done on the patient mapping, as a 'non-pharmacist' I would be concerned if there wasn't a certain amount of intervention required (ie checking quantities and directions).

For now at least, you are still working with the paper scripts in conjunction with the barcodes. I don't know how you are going to get around checking that dispensers process the scripts correctly while they're labeling, seeing as there will be no paper script for you to check / endorse. That one I don't have a suggestion for!

EPSR2 dispensing - Can you get a "crystal ball" with a USB connector.

[Web Ferret]

I don't know how you are going to get around checking that dispensers process the scripts correctly while they're labeling, seeing as there will be no paper script for you to check / endorse. That one I don't have a suggestion for!

I have thought about this, two options
1) Print out all the scripts!
In my 250 forms (600 items) a day branches thats a lot of paper, toner and shredding!
2) Many more computer terminals
Unless you choose option 1 you will no longer have the owings clip, the call back pile, the delivery pile, the awaiting invoice clip, etc
There will need to be a terminal (or two) in the shop, one at each end of the dispensing bench for walk ins, one at each end of the delivery bench, one for the MDS etc etc. In one of my former branches it would have needed multiple (up to 8) terminals when phase 2 happened as that is what it would need for the paperless option.

So back to my original question of "can do EPS do high volume" have any of the system suppliers done the 600+ items in a day using 6 or so terminals - I think not! Probably because they have not been asked to design their systems to do this.

For the record I am in favor of EPS as in the long run it will be good - However at the moment what it can do and what it will need to do seem a long way apart.

[johnep]

I think we should pull the plug on cfh.
johnep

[JonF]

Whats the point in going to a paperless system then printing out 250 Rx's a day?

We have 9 terminals in our dispensary, however we only have two set up with scanners for the barcodes, one on the walk-in bench and one on delivery bench.

However each scanner needs a smartcard to be able to log on. We have 2 pharmacists 99% of time and sometimes 3 or 4. So at a maximum we could scan Rx's at 4 terminals. Most pharmacies have only one pharmacist on duty and therefore only one smartcard. Therefore you could have all the terminals you want but could only use the one you have logged on with the smartcard!

The only thing i can think of is that we will have to check each Rx against the electronic one on the PC monitor, so will have to have a PC at each checking point in the dispensary(in our case 3; walk-in, delivery & MDS). These PC's will have to be for checking only. The thought of having to check even 100 items a day looking up and down at a monitor gives me a headache

[Web Ferret]

However each scanner needs a smartcard to be able to log on.

What system is this?

I had a pharmacy Manager set up with 3 terminals and 2 scanners and 1 smart card. You could scan on either scanner then view that script from any terminal.

[Pharmanaut]

Just occurred to me...

When dispensing EPS scripts do you scan the prescription as you dispense them, or do you scan them when they are handed in by the patient?

When the systems are installed the barcode scanner is often put near the computer keyboard. Have we subliminally accepted that we should scan the scripts as we get to dispense them?

Scanning them when handed in, and then putting them at the bottom of the dispensing pile would mean that by the time they get to the top the script should have been downloaded.

Any thoughts whether this would help EPS workflow?

[JonF]

What system is this?

I had a pharmacy Manager set up with 3 terminals and 2 scanners and 1 smart card. You could scan on either scanner then view that script from any terminal.

We use Proscript by Rx Systems. Maybe it's just this system! I'll get onto them when back at work next week. It does seem daft to need a smart card for each terminal.

[JonF]

Just occurred to me...

When dispensing EPS scripts do you scan the prescription as you dispense them, or do you scan them when they are handed in by the patient?

When the systems are installed the barcode scanner is often put near the computer keyboard. Have we subliminally accepted that we should scan the scripts as we get to dispense them?

Scanning them when handed in, and then putting them at the bottom of the dispensing pile would mean that by the time they get to the top the script should have been downloaded.

Any thoughts whether this would help EPS workflow?

We have a terminal on the counter and i have thought that this would work well. However we get that busy with people queuing to hand Rx's in the downloading would have to speed up significantly to improve our workflow, especially for the staff on the counter.

Also on Proscript we have to wait for one Rx to download before we can scan another. If we could just scan one after another with no wait that would be ideal...thats another phone call to Proscript help desk!!!!