Repeat prescription reminder services

[ap1]

Hi All

We currently operate a pretty busy collection and delivery service, we keep patients repeats and the pharmcy and tell the customers to ring us when they have 4 days left and we then re-order it for them.

Our competion uses Nexphase like us and has recently started to use nexphase's new message dynamics service (where the pharmacy texts/phones (automated) the patient to remind them their rx is due and whether they want to re-order) I evaluated this service and thought it wouldnt work with our elderly patients and did not take it up. We have now started to see a drop in our C&D business and i can only put it down to this new service the competion is offering. To top this off, i have signed a contract with Rx Systems (as it was cheaper) so can't now take up message dynamics ourselves.

Does anybody have any ideas on how I may impliment a manual reminder service? i think the lloyds one is manual ? does anybody have any experience with RX systems repeat re-order system ? is it easy to use? we have always bent over backwards for our patients and i believe provide a superior service so cant understand where they are going?!

[pell_]

hi
we have a diary for our reminder system which is supposed to be for the elderly and people who are unable to remember to order on time,it works great for the elderly but there are a few people in it who could quite easily do it themselves, its one you get free from the rep, on the day there due to go in under that date we write in the persons name, add, tel no, surgery, col/del, and any other info, then just forward them appropiatley (usually 4 weeks) we ring them the day before there due to go in so there on the clip for the next day, however it can be time consuming and if you forget they do rely on you ringing but it sound like a system that you are looking for

[johnep]

Lloyds express prescription service, gets the pt to tick repeats for next month on collection and then sign white form. This is submitted to the surgery a week in advance. Pt is given a date to come in. Works well except when pt complains items missing that had been ordered direct from surgery themselves.
johnep

[ap1]

thanks for that guys, was debating about both using a diary or adopting lloyds method, but not sure if there's any point if Rx systems has it - i could wait till it gets installed, but is it easy to use? anyone using the rx systems reminder system?

[johnep]

In the US, the system generates a 'refill call list', and the staff are supposed to 'phone the people on the list every day. I also believe Pharmacy Manager has a facility to send messages to mobile phones and this can be automated.
johnep

[LeftArm]

Email Rxsystems and ask them to send you the RMS manual.

I find their system a little unintuitive but it should work if you can ensure that it is always kept up to date. In one shop where I know it is used there tend to be a fallback to a manual system as it is easier.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

yeah as leftarm says proscript (by rx systems) has a built in reminder system - excellent if you're running repeat dispensing batch scripts (now it's finally running stable!). However it does take a while to get your head around it!

[vlman]

I'm interested in the process of offering a repeat prescription service to patients, but have some questions as how best to ensure that the items being ordered are actually those that the patient requires. It also needs to be a mechanism that leaves the pharmacist beyond reproach and accusations that we are not “over-ordering” for our own gain.

I note from the statement "Lloyds express prescription service, gets the pt to tick repeats for next month on collection and then sign the white form." that there is at least patient involvement in this process, albeit in predicting a month in advance what they actually need.

On the negative side, I would suggest that there are many items where it may not always be possible in predicting exactly what you will need in a month’s time. e.g. prn medicines, dressings, seasonal medications, etc.

I would assume, human nature being what it is, it would be easier for the patient to just tick everything for repeat in a month’s time rather than to phone in an accurate selection nearer the time.

Are pharmacists "pushing" their services to an extreme in this instance? I can understand a pharmacy helping patients who genuinely need our help in re-ordering prescriptions. But, as with collection and delivery, we will soon find that the system is abused by those more than capable of ordering for themselves.

It is possible to use software to predict when an item should need repeating. If, for example, a script states Enalapril 5mg tablets mitte 28 “Take one each morning”, if the software deduces that the dose for one each morning equates to one unit in a twenty four hour period, then the software could predict when that item will next be ordered. Again, such a system will work well with items that have a predictable dosage scheme, but will fall foul of the same problems of ordering more difficult items suggested above.

Surely, the only safe, effective, accurate and beyond reproach method of deducing a patient’s repeat items is to talk with them when their script needs to be ordered? Although very time consuming, how else can you get it right? If we start “guestimating”, we will either end up over ordering items or missing out items. Missing out items will hack off the patient and cause even more work.

So, what is the best approach to this procedure?

Vlman

[johnep]

PCS is only for regular items ordered and pt stabilised on for at least three months. I have just started the scheme and will report back how it goes.
johnep

[vlman]

Excuse my ignorance, what does PCS actually stand for?

Many thanks

Vlman