Prescription for non-stocked drugs
Greetings all...
I've been asked to prepare a template for presciptions that clients can fill at a local pharmacy. These would normally be issued in the case when the clinic does not stock that particular drug.
I have prepared the .odt template and have tried setting the document type both as a Patient Form and as a Prescription. In both cases, the Medication pull down appears, only accepting the name of a drug previously entered into OVPMS. Since the idea of the form is to cover those situations where the drug is not in the clinic's database, the form can not be completed.
Can someone suggest a work-around here? While ideally, rather than the pull-down, there would just be an editable text box, I suspect that this would break the whole linkage thingy to the patient's records. Will we just need to insert into the product list, all drugs that might be prescribed... with 0 stock, 0 price?
Thanks,
Sam L.
Kamloops, BC
Re: Prescription for non-stocked drugs
Hi Sam,
We deal with this by creating a "Patient Letter" with fields that pop up that we can fill in...
Please find our template minus logo below.
What you are looking for in letters are "Input Fields". In open office do this by navigating to
Insert -> Fields -> Other -> Functions -> Input Field -> "Reference" (is the prompt text you want the user in OVPMS to see) -> Insert
Let me know if this helps. Otherwise I can do some screenshots to better explain.
Cheers, Adrian
Note: This dosn't charge or link to the patient in any way other than creating a Document that is on the patient file....
Re: Prescription for non-stocked drugs
This brings up the point that the prescription template as it works in the Prescription tab is atm redundant because when you print it it doesnt increment the times dispensed (which is should atleast offer to do).
Sam I actually add most drugs even ones we dont stock as Medications to ensure I record everything associated with them - including dispensing warnings that clinicians should recieve when prescribing -while I used to use Adrians method I found that the errors in drug names etc that sometimes occured was unacceptable. Plus it didnt allow an automated represcribing method
I think we need to update the prescription interface to allow that Printing a prescription updates the times dispensed, additionally the Printing should allow for the possibility of a prescribing charge but not charge the medication- currently most vets DONT charge for a prescription issued for a client to collect from a pharmacy or other vet, but I think in the future this will change as more an more clients realize they can obtain drugs far cheaper at local pharmacies.
Ben
Re: Prescription for non-stocked drugs
Thanks for the quick response! I've talked it over with the vets and they've decided to go with Adrian's letter approach for the time being. So thank you Adrian for the template! I'm advising, however, that they go with Ben's approach for exactly the reason's given, but.. oh well... I'm just the computer guy. I guess that the requirement for an actual written prescription is rare here as most prescriptions are simply called into the pharmacy.
Thanks again for all the help!
Sam
Re: Prescription for non-stocked drugs
Hi Ben,
Precriptions are still relatively uncommon and so while I would prefer a "picker" approach that defined drugs names I am not sure this would work easily. There are many many drugs out there and many of our prescriptions at least are for some more exotic drugs (i.e. we prescrible once and never again, or at least not for a long time).
I am curious how you indicate to staff that a drug on the product list is "prescription only"? I woud worry we would clutter our list up with rarely used items that staff would think we may have in the clinic...
I like your idea of updates to the prescription template, though for us in specialist/emergency practice it would be cool if it could be extended to non-stock items, associate with charges and produce a printable letter/form such as the one I attached above. I.e. integrate OVPMS prescriptions with those we print and give to clients for external use.
PS. We charge for prescriptions! I can't go to my doctor and get a prescription without a consult/paying a fee... it is work for us = fee charged. As you say, people are going to move toward pharmacy obtained medications and so this will become more common in the future.