Transmitting prescriptions
The prescription screens are larger than most of the billing screens. We recommend a minimum resolution of 1024 X 768 so that you are not required to 'scroll' to see all the screen.
This section is for those people who want to transmit prescriptions. We suggest you read the previous prescription section because most of it will help you know what to expect from Stratford Software practice management Billing/EDI/EMR/eRx/Scheduling/ fully integrated system. The transmit function is fully integrated and will take advantage of all the old, proven e-prescription functions that have been in Stratford Software for since 2002.
Before you begin the process of setting up your system to transmit prescriptions you should update to the latest 'windows' version of Stratford Software.
For those people who are evaluating the software and existing clients who just want to test it without making any changes to their 'real' patient data, all of these eRx functions work in the trial account - both medical and dental. The trial account cannot transmit a real prescription to a real pharmacy, of course, but you will get the same messages returned just as you would if you were sending real prescriptions to a real pharmacy. The trial account does transmit over the Internet to the Stratford webservices server farm exactly the same way that a real prescription would, so if you like the way it works in the trial account, you won't get any surprises when you transmit in your real account with real patient prescriptions. All Stratford software versions for more than 30 years have had an integrated trial account so you do not need to use your real data to test something. Also, it is a good tool for evaluating the software. Working in the trial account will not change your real patient data in any way, even though you will be working with exactly the same software. If you need help with this, please email the Stratford support group: support@stratfordsoftware.com
Transmitting prescriptions is a little different from writing/faxing prescription. It has some strict requirements, but the advantages more than make up for it. Don't worry, most of the 'strict requirements' are one time / one entry functions. First you must enter your NPI number - wait, no you don't. This is a healthcare billing system so you have already entered your NPI. So what extra things are you required to do? Well you must go into the provider entry screen, select the 4th tab on the center section and press one button to ask to be assigned a unique number called the SPI that will uniquely identify you to pharmacies. That is it.
Here is a 'walk thru' that should help:
1. You must make sure that your computer is connected to the Internet and will connect to the Stratford webservices server farm.
2. You must get a SPI number for each person who will be writing prescriptions. (requires pressing one button)
3. You should read this and the previous section of the manual so you know what to expect. Both have lots of pictures and not many words.
Hey! that was not so difficult. As always, if you need help, just contact Stratford support: support@stratfordsoftware.com.
Let's get started....
from the main directory select number 7 (other information)
then select #8
Here is the menu with the selections to help setup your computer for transmitting prescriptions.
First press button number 1.
This will contact the Stratford webservices server farm and work out some details between your computer hardware, your internet connection and the security requirements for transmitting prescriptions.
If you get some other message, please make sure you are connected to the internet by going to google.com or whatever is your favorite starting location. If it works, then the connection to Stratford should work. There are no special or unusual requirements. If you cannot connect, please contact the Stratford support group: support@stratfordsoftware.com
Next select the 2nd button to register your providers.
Next you will see the provider lookup screen. All of your providers are here. You first saw this screen when you setup your providers for billing. If you converted from another software program, this may have been done for you automatically. There is one additional step for you to do.
Note: if you are working in your TRIAL account, there may not be any providers listed. You may register your provider information and test it in the TRIAL account, however, this is not connected or related in any way to your 'real' account so after you finish testing, you will need to complete this step again in your real account.
Press the edit/revise button to get this screen:
Note: You must set up a 'pin' on the 'Prescription IDs' tab before you can create a prescription.
Click on the 3rd tab to get this screen:
Click on the 4th tab to get this screen:
SureScripts wants you to select an AMA specialty code. This is similar (but different) from the CMS/Medicare/Medicaid specialty code that you have already entered for healthcare billing. It is just one selection, one time. Click on the yellow text box labeled 'AMA Specialty'. There are more than 150 specialties so you can be as specific as you want. You may right click to see the full list (below) and select one.
The last thing to do for this provider to be setup for transmitting prescriptions is to click on this button:
That is all there is to get this provider registered.....
You will see a screen like this with your 'SPI' code. This is like the NPI in that it is specific for one person.
In this case your service level is '3' which allows you to transmit prescriptions and receive refill requests from pharmacies and other related functions.
What is next?
We went over the prescription entry in the previous topic. There is little or no difference in the way you enter prescriptions for transmitting to the pharmacy that your patient selects.
Transmitting prescriptions should enable you to save a lot of labor for yourself and your staff. Most pharmacies are able to accept transmitted prescriptions and more are signing up each day. Many of these pharmacies are able to transmit a refill request. You can imagine how much time and labor this could save you. Clicking on a screen is much faster and more accurate than a phone call.
Remember that button in the lower right of the main menu?
Click on that Rx image to see your refill requests. As soon as you click, the software will contact Stratford web services and ask to see any files that are waiting for you. If there are some, they will be automatically downloaded and displayed on the screen below.
This screen will list all your refill requests as well as previous refill requests that you have already transmitted.
Below is an example of what your screen might look like after you have been transmitting prescriptions for awhile.
Look at that first record: Seasonique tablets. See the Status column? It is blank. That means the prescriber has not done anything with it. It will not transmit that way. This is most likely a new Refill Request that just arrived.
That 'Status' column tells you what is happening with the Refill Requests. The next group (after the blank one) is the "Approved" refills. After that are the 'Approved with changes' refills. After that are the 'Denied' refills. With the denied refills, you will always give a reason. If you want to see the reason for denying the prescription, just click on it. The next group are the 'Denied - New Rx'. This indicates that the prescriber does not want the patient to take the medication requested and will write a new prescription. The pharmacist will tell the patient this message. You may make as many changes as you want on this screen. Nothing is permanent until you see 'Transmitted' in the status column.
As you use this, you will soon realize it is a powerful tool for the prescriber. It is certainly much easier and faster to click on this screen, click a button (as you will see below) and then go to the next refill request. Compare that to someone answering a number of phone calls, writing down messages, maybe finding a chart, maybe make a mistake with the patient name, medication, who knows. Even if the pharmacist faxes, it is still not as clear. The refill requests that you see on this screen are directly related to a prescription that the prescriber previously transmitted.
The next step is to click on that 1st Refill request with the blank status column. You need to do something with this one or it will sit there forever until you do. Clicking will bring up this screen:
In the upper left corner you see the Patient name, prescriber name, and medication. You have 4 choices. The default is Button 4 cancel/do nothing. this will return you to the previous screen.
Button 1 will approve this refill. If you want to approve it with no changes, just press button number 1 and it will turn green (see below) and you are finished. The prescriber may also change the number of refills if the number requested by the pharmacist is not acceptable. A note can be sent to the pharmacist to clarify anything, something to tell the patient, anything. See, that is so much easier and faster than a phone call. Click the Save button and you are finished with this refill request.
If the prescriber wants to deny this refill, just press the 2nd or 3rd button.
The 2nd button means no refills at all for this patient for this medication. When you deny the refill request, a reason is required to help the pharmacist talk with the patient. Below is a sample of the reason codes that can be used. In addition to the reason code, a custom note can be typed that will go back to the pharmacist. Click the Save button.
Pressing the 3rd button means that this refill is denied, however, the prescriber will write a new prescription for the patient which may or may not be related to this prescription. It will be something new and different. Click the Save button.
The last choice is the default. Do nothing. That means that the refill is not approved and it is not denied. Maybe the patient's chart needs to be checked? For some reason this refill request is going to be skipped at this time. Don't worry, it will still be there. For the next hour, the next day - in fact it will be there at the top of the list until you do something. You can't forget about it. Click the Save button.
Let's assume that the prescriber approved this refill request with no changes. After you Click the Save button you will return to the lookup screen where you can review all your refill requests. See the refill request you were working on? It is now down in the list as the last 'Approved' refill request. This listing will always be sorted with the blank status refill requests at the top followed by those ready to transmit.
None of the status indicators that you see here are permanent (except those already transmitted, of course). You can change them - just click to get the screens above. You can make any change you want. You can even cancel the status and not transmit it at all. Maybe you want to check some things? Whatever you want to do with these refill requests is just a click away. This is much easier than taking a phone call when you may be thinking about something else and/or you are in the middle of other business. Transmitting prescriptions is like email. You can take your time and maybe even do a better job than when you have someone pressuring you to decide about a refill immediately.
In the time it took you to look at the pictures in this manual topic you could approve/deny 20 prescriptions or more. There is no way you can do that using the phone - fax - paper method. The old way is hard labor, this is fun. This is the future of prescribing and now you are part of it.
The last step is to press the large yellow button to transmit all the prescriptions that have a status. Any blank ones will be skipped and, of course, those that have already been transmitted will be skipped. They will stay in this data table and you can refer to it anytime you want. Of course all these refills along with your regular prescriptions will be in the patient account screen in chronological order.
Above is the main section of our tutorial.
If you still have trouble making your system work or if you have any feedback for us, we certainly would appreciate your sending those comments to support@stratfordsoftware.com. We are not like most software companies that you may have tried to deal with. We actually do read your emails the same day and we will, in most cases, answer them the same day. If you send an email after 3pm PST, it may not get an answer until the next day, depending on the volume of calls. We have very few calls records that are not closed the same day, or at least, within 8 working hours.
The Stratford program is not a fixed version that has a new update every 3 or 4 years. The Stratford program changes daily. We support more than 1000 payers and clearinghouses. We do not have a rigid schedule of updates with a sales force driving us to come out with 'something/anything' whether it works or not so we can make a buck like most well known software companies that all of us deal with. Instead, we change the software daily. Most of the updates will have no additional value for you. We keep track of our clients who subscribe to support so we know when we have an update that you might need. Your monthly statement shows the payers that we think you are transmitting to. If you transmit to a payer that is not listed, you should email us with a correction. If you don't subscribe to support then you are 'lost' to us. Our 'on-going' subscribers can update anytime they want. We have utilities that allow you to update on your own, 24 hours / 7 days / 365 days per year. The utility will tell you if you have the latest version.
Below are some updates requested by our users that relate to the e-Rx software.
Q: Since I need to update my pharmacy and drug listings on at least a monthly basis, why don't you make it easier? I would like to update without leaving the software and using your 'StratfordAccess' utility. Make it really easy. For example, when I am at the main menu, I see a reminder that I need to update. Why can't I update right there? I don't want to leave the program, start the 'access' utility, download the update, then go back into the program.
A: We thank you for that question. How about 2 different methods to do exactly what you asked?
1) You can right-click on the large RX label in the lower right of the main directory. If you have the latest version, #2 will not be 'enabled'.
2) You can go the special menu with many functions specifically for the e-Rx functions. Select #7, then #8, then #11.
Both of these methods for getting the update will give you the confirmation below.
We appreciate your feedback. We want to make the software easy for you to use.