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Rx Tracker ™
The Rx Tracker program is designed for use in closed-shop pharmacies that deliver to multiple nursing homes, but can be utilized by any pharmacy with nursing home accounts. Rx Tracker follows a drug from the time it is filled, until it is sent out the door for delivery – tracking the item as it passes through three check stations.
Fill Station
When a script is filled, it is automatically entered into the Rx Tracker system as having passed the first check station. According to the number of labels that has been printed for that script, this is the number of items/cards that the program now expects to pass through the next two check stations.
Pharmacist Check Station
After the pharmacist has checked the prescription and determined that everything is correct, he/she will scan the item’s barcode. The pharmacist’s initials will then be attached to that item, so that you know exactly who checked the item through that station.
When the item is entered, the following information will be displayed on the screen for the pharmacist’s perusal: Rx number, patient name, drug name, qty., doctor name, retirement home, wing and room number. The pharmacist can also check the drug’s NDC, order number and size from this station.
The count, how many items should be included under that Rx number, (for instance, 1 of 2 or 2 of 2) will also be shown. If needed, the count can be changed and a comment inserted explaining the change, i.e. "only one available". The item is then passed to the ship station.
Shipping Station
This is the last check point the item passes through before it is shipped out to the nursing home. The item’s destination is entered (scanned off the shipping container), then the item is scanned. The Rx number, item count and comment will be displayed.
The check station will alert you if
- you have scanned the item for the wrong home
- it has not passed through the Ph. check station
- all items for that Rx have been scanned
This check station will also show all the "exceptions" that have occurred – displaying how many items were filled, how many checked and how many shipped. If all the check stations do not show the same number of items, then you are alerted to the exception.
Manifest Station Functions
From the manifest functions you can:
- Print an exception report
- Print a full manifest or a manifest showing only specified Rx’s
- View the tracking details for specific Rx’s (the date and time it passed through each workstation, the manifest date and the delivery date)
Rx Tracker Palm
The manifest is downloaded into the Palm. This is then taken with the driver and used to "check off" each item when the order is delivered to the nursing home. The Palm also allows you to log an electronic signature from the receiving personnel.
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RxTracker is a form of digital tracking utilizing symbol handheld palm pilots. The process of tracking a delivery begins when the pharmacy system, Prism, calls for a upload of delivery data onto a palm pilot. This will create a digital list of the manifest (packing list) on the palm pilot. Each list is linked to a destination ID that represents a wing/section of a nursing home. One palm will contain lists for all destinations on a delivery route and will accompany the product upon delivery.
When the delivery person arrives at the destination they will scan a unique barcode that has been posted at the location. This will put the device at the destination. The shipper is already logged in as the employee handling the delivery. You now have where you are and who is handling the delivery. The next stage in the process is to scan all the unique Rx barcodes on the presciption labels. The Rx number plus the refill number act as the unique tracking identifier for the items being delivered. (think UPS tracking #) As each Rx label is scanned it will be checked off the list of prescriptions for this destination and a date/time stamped record will be created for each prescription. When all prescriptions are scanned the program will be ready for the last stage in the check in process. This is capturing the signature of the recipient. The nurse/other recipient will first give their printed name so if they sign an "X" on the palm the records will still show a first and last name of the person accepting the delivery. Then the recipient will be allowed to sign on a digital sig pad similar to a credit card touchpad.
The system has now created digital records of all importantant elements of the delivery process. These records will remain on the palm pilot until the time it returns to the pharmacy and is syncronized with a computer in the pharmacy system. The records will then be available to be referenced from a utility in Prism. These records will be a far better means of prooving deliveries then a file cabinet full of order sheets which were checked in manually and are susceptible to human error. Primarily written for closed-shop pharmacies, Rx Tracker is now being utilized by many of our larger pharmacies as an easy and reliable way to track deliveries, print manifests and log delivery signatures.
Following are a few of Rx Trackers main features:
- streamlined tracking and delivery system
- integration of scanners and Palm devices
- ability to print manifests
- numerous "check stations" offer redundancy style tracking, thus greatly reducing the possibility of lost or mis-delivered scripts
- exception report offers at-a-glance view of discrepancies in the tracking process
- ability to obtain and download electronic signatures
- can easily add additional delivery drivers into the system
- offered in a "full" and "light" version
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