Electronic Refill Requests

This lesson will demonstrate the steps necessary to receive and respond to electronic refill requests in SOAPware.

Note: If a provider elects to no longer receive refill requests electronically, they will need to send an email to [email protected] request that it be disabled.

eRx Monitor

In order to receive electronic refill requests in SOAPware, the user will need to run the eRx Monitor.  For instructions on running the eRx Monitor see: eRx Monitor.

View - All Refill Requests

View - All Refill Requests

To access the Refill Requests dialog, Click View in the menu bar and Click the All-Refill Requests menu item. This will display the refill requests for All patients for the Active Provider.

Refill Requests

Refill Requests

The display is horizontally divided into 4 general areas (from left to right).

  1. Patient Information
  2. Provider and Refill Notice
  3. Requested Medication Information and Response
  4. Dispensed Medication
  5. Pharmacy

Note: A similar display is also available in Rx Manager. However, that display only shows pending refill requests for the active patient chart at the time the Rx Manager is open, see: Rx Manager: Refill Requests.

Patient Information

Patient Information

The Patient Information is the information passed to SOAPware from the pharmacy. When there is a match to a SOAPware chart (automatic or manual) the background is white.  Red indicates the patient information from the pharmacy has not yet been matched to a specific SOAPware chart.

Provider and Refill Notice

Refill Notice

Each refill request in the Refill Notice region will contain the Provider information, Date Requested, and Last Fill Date.  The Last Fill Date item is optionally sent by the pharmacies. An empty value does not imply the script has not been previously filled by the pharmacy.

Request Medication Information and Response

Description

The third column contains the requested mediation information and response and is largely made up of the actual medication-prescription details sent from the pharmacy. The bottom row provides the ability to Approve/Deny and to define the total number of dispensings approved.

Dispensed Medication

Dispensed medication

The Dispensed Medication column displays the original medication as it was originally dispensed. In addition, the Comments portion allows the clinician to type in free-text comments that can be sent in the response to the pharmacy.

Pharmacy Information

Pharmacy Information

The last column contains the pharmacy information and, if the medication is scheduled, the schedule status.

Refill Requests Buttons - Actions

Refill Requests Buttons - Actions
  • Refresh: The Refresh button checks for any new refill requests.
  • Provider: This drop down menu will allow the user to choose to view refill requests for All Providers or for only an individual provider.
  • Delete Request: The Delete Request button presents a dialog explaining that it is preferable to respond to the pharmacy with a Denied reason rather than deleting the request. It is best to then proceed to select one of the valid reasons for denial and add any necessary comments in the available comment box. Again, it is best to submit a Denied response, and this does remove the refill request from the list.
  • Send: The Send button sends a response for the currently selected refill request.

Matching a Patient

Matching a Patient

When an electronic refill request is sent for a patient for the first time, the SOAPware user will need to match the patient with a SOAPware chart.  If a clinic received a faxed refill request from the pharmacy on a patient, the clinic staff would verify that the patient's name, date of birth and SSN matched the patient's information on record with the clinic to ensure it was the same person.  This is the same workflow that should be used electronically to match the patient.

When a refill request needs to be matched to a patient, the refill request will display in red and the Action Required will say "Unmatched Patient".

Match Patient

To match the electronic refill request with a patient's chart:

  1. 1.  Click on Unmatched Patient.
  2. The patient's Name, Birth Date and Sex as submitted by the pharmacy will display at the top of the Patient Match window
  3. SOAPware will search for a patient that has a matching last name in SOAPware and the results will be displayed.  Click on the correct patient after verifying the patient's information.
  4. Click the Match button to indicate that this refill request matches the selected patient.
Response

When the refill request has been matched to a patient in the chart rack, the Action Required will be changed to "Patient Matched" and the refill request will no longer be red.  When a matched refill request is selected, the corresponding patient's chart will be opened.

Approving a Refill Request

Approving a Refill Request

To approve a refill request:

  1. Select a response of Approved.
  2. Select the desired # of dispensings approved. In order to approve the refill request, the user must select a minimum of 1 # of Refills Approved.  If a user selected 0 # of Refills Approved, they would essentially be denying the initial refill that was requested.  By selecting 1 # Refills Approved, the clinic is approving the 1 refill that was requested today and no additional refills.  By selecting 2 # Refills Approved, the clinic is approved 1 refill that was requested today and 1 additional refill.
  3. Click the Send button to submit the approved refill request to the pharmacy.

*Note: When an approved refill request is sent to the pharmacy, SOAPware will create documentation to indicate the user's response.  If the patient has an unsigned SOAP Note that is selected in their chart, the documentation for the refill request will be placed in the Medications field of the unsigned SOAP Note.  If the patient does not have an unsigned SOAP Note in the chart, a new SOAP Note will be created and the refill request documentation will be inserted into the new SOAP Note.  

*It is very important to make sure all notes are signed off on time so that a documentation for a refill request is not accidentally placed in an unsigned SOAP Note.

Denying a Refill Request

Denying a Refill Request

To deny a refill request:

  1. Click the drop down menu next to Approved and then select the appropriate Denied response.
  2. Set the # of dispensings approved to 0.
  3. Click the Send button to submit the response to the pharmacy.

*Note:  In order to respond to a controlled medication electronically, the physician must be enrolled in EPCS.

Storing Prescription Information

Documentation History

All the information listed above is stored in the related patients History section of Rx Manager after being submitted to the pharmacy (or removed).

If there is an active, unsigned SOAP encounter note, the prescriptions will also be transferred to the Medications field.  If there is not a current unsigned SOAP Note, a new SOAP Note will be created for the refill request and response.

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