What's New in Propel Rx 1.9 SP1

British Columbia Provincial Prescription Management (PPM)

Provincial Prescription Management (PPM) is an electronic solution designed to streamline the way prescriptions are managed in British Columbia. It allows healthcare providers to create, view, and modify prescriptions digitally. Health information is shared and accessible in real-time, enhancing communication and coordination between pharmacies, prescribers, and patients.

There are several benefits of PPM for community pharmacies, including:

  • An expanded range of Allergies and Conditions that can be transmitted to the EHR.

  • The ability to download prescription details directly into Propel Rx. This development allows the pharmacy to easily download electronic prescriptions and/or prescriptions which are being transferred from other pharmacies with PPM.

  • Access to a new prescription profile on the EHR. Dispenses will now be linked with prescription records, making it easier to reference prescription details and dispense history.

  • Reduced manual entry of paper prescriptions. Initially, prescriptions will be entered by pharmacies on behalf of the prescriber, with a gradual decrease in paper and verbal orders as e-prescribing becomes more widespread.

  • The introduction of Medication Management Intervention (MMI) and Clinical Service (CS) codes that can be submitted with a prescription or its dispense. These codes transmit additional information on how a drug therapy problem was addressed or the rationale behind the provision of a clinical service.

  • Visibility into pharmacist adaptations. Information about who initiated an adaptation and the rationale behind it will now be accessible from the new prescription profile.

  • The ability to reconcile clinical and prescription discrepancies between the local Propel Rx Profile and the EHR Profile. This allows users to build accurate and comprehensive local Profiles with minimal manual entry.

  • The choice of whether to transmit a prescription note to the EHR and whether it is attached to the prescription record or its dispense.

  • The introduction of an EHR Queue where a subset of transactions can be queued when the EHR Network is down.

Propel Rx BC PPM User Guide

This user guide goes over the functionality that's introduced when your pharmacy is upgraded to PPM. For information on general Propel Rx and existing functionality, refer to the Propel Rx Online Help.

A number of British Columbia specific enhancements were also introduced in Propel Rx with the 1.9 SP1 upgrade. These include:

  • Replacing all references of "PharmaNet" in Propel Rx with "EHR."

  • Renaming the EHR Profiles to differentiate between prescription authorizations and dispenses.

  • Allowing SIG changes on refill.

  • Allowing a prescription to be rebilled with the same prescription number and Fill Date. For more information, see Rebilling a Prescription.

  • Allowing an EHR interaction check to be performed when there are no prescriptions on the Patient Profile.

  • Refreshing the layout of the TAC/TDU Response window to make it easier to see DUE information.

  • Updating viewing requirements for the TAC/TDU Response window and EHR Profiles to align with BC regulatory requirements.

  • Removing the requirement to enter Propel Rx login credentials when performing an EHR transaction.

  • And more.

Refer to the Miscellaneous Changes section of the Propel Rx BC PPM User Guide for a detailed list of all the changes.

Enhancements

Initially limited to Ontario Drug Benefit (DB, TR) prescriptions, the Acquisition Cost Prompt feature has been expanded to all Third Parties across all provinces. This expansion is designed to mitigate financial loss by giving pharmacies the option to choose between billing the Acquisition Cost or Eligibility Price when the difference between the two values exceeds a certain threshold.

For more information, see Acquisition Cost Prompt.

Batches can now be scheduled overnight in New Brunswick, except during the hours of 12 - 3am, when the DIS is down. When scheduling a batch, if a time between 12 - 3am is entered in the Batch Profile window, a validation error will occur and the user will be required to choose a different time.

The user scheduling the batch will be used as the author of the transactions submitted to the DIS. If a Detected Issue is returned or a Third Party rejects the claim, the user who manually intervenes to complete the prescription will be sent as the author.

In the Intake window, the cursor will now default to the Refill field instead of the Patient field, making it easier to input prescription numbers for refill.

A number of enhancements have been made to streamline and improve inventory management in Propel Rx. Some of these features will make it easier for you to:

  • Choose the correct pack size when filling a prescription.

  • Fill a prescription using multiple pack sizes.

  • Maintain pack sizes in the Drug Folder.

  • Identify invalid item numbers prior to submitting a purchase order.

  • And more.

Select the dropdowns below to learn more.

Previously, the Override checkbox in the Drug Folder Inventory tab determined if acquisition costs were overridden when purchase orders were reconciled. To make it more clear what this checkbox is used for and to align its functionality with other checkboxes in Propel Rx, the Override checkbox has been renamed to Block Acq $.

Upon upgrade:

  • If the Override checkbox was previously deselected, the Block Acq $ checkbox will be selected. The Acq Cost (ut) and Acq Cost (pk) fields will be disabled and not updated when purchase orders are reconciled regardless of the Cost Update Preferences in the Supplier Folder.

  • If the Override checkbox was previously selected, the Block Acq $ checkbox will be deselected. The Acq Cost (ut) and Acq Cost (pk) fields will be enabled and updated when purchase orders are reconciled based on the Cost Update Preferences in the Supplier Folder.

The Block Acq $ checkbox functions the opposite way of the former Override checkbox. Selecting this checkbox (ON) blocks updates to the acquisition cost fields while deselecting it (OFF) enables updates to these fields.

Identifying Centrally Maintained Versus Custom Pack Sizes

Wherever possible, we recommend using centrally maintained pack sizes when filling prescriptions or ordering product from Propel Rx. These pack sizes are added by Pharmacy Technology Solutions (PTS) and updated daily based on the latest product information. Pack sizes that were manually added by a user are not updated by PTS and must be manually maintained at store-level. This includes updating the item number or UPC if it changes.

To assist users with identifying which pack size is centrally maintained versus custom, the following features have been implemented in the Drug Folder and Rx Detail.

  • In the Drug Folder Inventory tab, centrally maintained pack sizes display a lock indicator in the Pack Size column. The product information for these pack sizes are updated regularly by PTS. Any custom pack sizes added by a user will not be updated by PTS.

  • In Rx Detail, centrally maintained pack sizes display in bold from the Pk (OH) dropdown.

Locked Down Product Information

To minimize accidental overrides of product information, centrally maintained pack sizes will have the following fields disabled in the Drug Folder Inventory tab.

  • Main UPC

    Alt UPC can be entered or edited if the Main UPC is not recognized during Packaging.

    When a new supplier for a centrally maintained pack size is added at the bottom of the Drug Folder Inventory tab, the UPC field will also be disabled.

  • Item # (McKesson products only)

  • Price Code

  • Supplier Price (ut)

  • Supplier Price (pk)

  • Block Supp $ (OFF by default)

The following enhancements make it easier for users to distinguish between purchase order reconciliation and cycle counting in Propel Rx. These changes focus on renaming the Inventory Reconcile module, Inventory History report, and other interface elements, but the processes you are accustomed to will largely remain the same.

Cycle Counting Module (Formerly Inventory Reconcile Module)

  • The Inventory Reconcile module is now called the Cycle Count module.

  • When accessing the module through More (…) > Inventory, it will now be displayed as Cycle Count.

  • The Last Reconciliation Report in Search Options is now called the Last Inventory History Report.

  • The Last Reconciled Date column in the module grid has been renamed to Last Cycle Count.

  • In the Reason column, the following option can now be selected: "Investigated. Cause of Variance Unknown."

  • The Variance column can now be sorted by selecting the column header. This allows drugs with the highest variance to be displayed at the top for investigative purposes.

  • The confirmation prompt now states "Cycle Count Successful" instead of "Reconciliation Successful." A new Close button in the prompt allows users to complete the cycle count without printing the summary.

  • The Reconciliation Summary report has been renamed to Cycle Count Summary. The reason "Not Reconciled" has been updated to "Not Counted."

  • In the Drug Folder Shipment Adjustment Details window, the Type "Reconciled" has been changed to "Cycle Count."

Inventory History Report (Formerly Inventory Reconciliation History Report)

  • The Inventory Reconciliation History report is now called the Inventory History report.

  • A new Extended option has been added. The Monitored Only checkbox, when selected (default), generates a report for only monitored pack sizes. "Monitored" will display in the Selection field at the top of the report. Deselecting the checkbox generates a report for all pack sizes, regardless of monitored status.

  • The Oldest Reconciliation Date in Sort By options is now Oldest Cycle Count Date.

  • The Last Recond Date column on the Inventory History report has been renamed to Last Cycle Count.

The following cosmetic changes were applied to the Drug Folder Inventory tab and Rx Detail. Some of these changes make it easier for you to locate important product information.

Drug Folder Inventory Tab Cosmetic Changes

  • A Display Packs preference has been added to More (...) > Pharmacy. This preference controls what pack sizes are displayed by default in the Drug Folder Inventory tab.

    • All - all pack sizes are displayed (default).

    • Monitored Only - only pack sizes with the Monitor flag ON are displayed.

    The view can be changed on demand using the new Display dropdown in the Drug Folder Inventory tab. However, the display will revert to the default pharmacy setting upon closing the Drug Folder.

  • In the Packs Available section of the Drug Folder Inventory tab:

    • The INV# column has been removed from all windows and the Owe Balance report where it used to appear.

    • In Ontario, provincial pack sizes (INV# =2) are no longer visible in the Drug Folder. These pack sizes are no longer applicable.

    • The Monitor column has moved to position #1 in the Packs Available section. The Default column has moved to position #2. If a user customized the grid, the customization will be respected and not overridden.

      If the user removed the customized grid in User Preferences, the default positioning of this column will be followed.

    • The Size column has been renamed to Pack Size. Centrally maintained pack sizes are indicated with a lock icon .

    • Monitored pack size rows will appear in bold in the Packs Available section.

    • Allocated On Hand (Units) and Allocated On Hand (Packs) have been renamed to simply On Hand (units) and On Hand (packs).

  • In the Pack Detail section of the Drug Folder Inventory tab, the Block $ Updates checkbox has been renamed to Block Supp $.

Rx Detail Cosmetic Changes

  • In the Pk (OH) dropdown, the "INV #1" and "Prov#1" labels have been removed.

  • The default pack size will display with the tag “Default” in the Pk (OH) dropdown.

  • For pharmacies using perpetual inventory in Propel Rx, if the default pack size is not monitored, an “Unmonitored” indicator displays below the Pk (OH) field in Rx Detail.

  • When inventory for a pack size is reset, a record will now be added to the Drug Folder History tab indicating the date and time of the event, user who performed the action, pack size that was affected, and adjustment made.

  • When a pack size is added, a record will now be added to the Drug Folder History tab indicating the date and time of the event, user who performed the action, and the pack size.

It is now possible to inactivate a pack size in the Drug Folder Inventory tab if it is no longer needed. By inactivating a pack size:

  • It can no longer be ordered in Propel Rx.

  • It can no longer be monitored.

  • It can no longer be filled in prescriptions.

Inactivating a pack size makes it uneditable and unusable for orders or prescriptions while keeping its record in the Drug Folder. An inactive pack size can be reactivated later if needed. In contrast, removing a pack size removes its record from the Drug Folder, so it can no longer be used in the future.

For more information, see Inactivating a Pack Size.

Pack sizes of 0 have historically been associated with inventory and pricing issues when used in prescriptions. Depending on whether prescription history and the presence of other pack sizes exist, pack sizes of 0 have been removed or converted to pack sizes of 1.

Scenario 1: No Other Pack Sizes and No Prescription History Exists

  • If there are no other pack sizes and no prescriptions are attached to the pack size of 0, the pack size is deleted, and the Drug Folder is inactivated. All On Hand, Owe, and On Order amounts are set to 0.

  • A record is added to the Drug Folder History tab to document:

    • The pack size removal.

    • The On Hand adjustment, if applicable.

    • The inactivation of the Drug Folder.

Scenario 2: Other Pack Sizes Exist but No Prescription History Exists

  • If there are other pack sizes and no prescriptions are attached to the pack size of 0, the pack size is deleted. All On Hand, Owe, and On Order amounts for the pack size are set to 0.

  • If the pack size of 0 was the Default, the next smallest pack size is assigned as the Default.

  • A record is added to the Drug Folder History tab to document:

    • The pack size removal.

    • The On Hand adjustment, if applicable.

    • The changes to the Default flag, if applicable.

Scenario 3: Prescription History Exists

  • If the pack size of 0 has been used to fill prescriptions, it is changed to a pack size of 1.

  • If a Replacement DIN (Rpl DIN) is set in the Drug Folder, the Drug Folder is inactivated.

  • A record is added to the Drug Folder History tab to document:

    • The pack size conversion.

    • The inactivation of the Drug Folder, if applicable.

Report of Pack Sizes Removed

For visibility, a report has been generated that lists all pack sizes of 0 that were removed for your pharmacy. This report includes the date and time the removal occurred, DIN, pack size, trade name, strength, On Hand, Owe Balance, and On Order amounts. You can access this report on the server from C:\ProPharmtemp\ZeroPackSizeDeleteReport_{timestamp}.csv.

Custom pack sizes of 1 will be removed upon upgrade if a centrally maintained pack size greater than or equal to 1 exists in the Drug Folder.

  • If the removed pack size was the Default, the smallest centrally maintained pack size will become the new Default.

  • If the removed pack size was monitored, its inventory will be moved over to the new Default pack size (i.e., On Hand adjustment = On Hand of the removed pack size x Default pack size).

The Change Pack window ensures inventory is decremented appropriately across the pack sizes used for dispensing a drug. This window automatically appears when there are multiple monitored pack sizes for a drug. Users can also open it manually from the Rx menu under Change Pack.

Cosmetic Changes

As part of this release, the Change Pack window has underwent visual changes to make it more intuitive and user friendly. These changes include:

  • Renaming of the window from Change Pack to Pack Size Selection. The Change Pack button in the Rx menu remains the same.

  • Addition of the drug's trade name, strength, and form in the window's title for easier identification.

  • Addition of the DIN and Rx Qty at the top of the window for quick reference.

  • Renaming of the Size column in the grid to Pack Size.

  • Removal of the DIN, INV#, Acq Cost, and On Order columns to reduce clutter.

  • Addition of a border around the Reduce Inventory fields to make it clear that these fields are editable.

  • Addition of a read-only Balance field at the bottom. The value in this field is the difference between the Rx Qty and the sum of all values in the Reduce Inventory column.

Validation Changes

If the Balance field is not zero, upon selecting OK, a validation message will appear at the bottom of the window stating, “Reduce Inventory values must equal Rx Qty.” Users must adjust the Reduce Inventory values until the Balance is zero before continuing to process the prescription.

For more information on the Pack Size Selection window, see Change Pack.

The following enhancements were made to the pack size removal process. These changes give pharmacies greater control over the process and visibility into when these actions were taken and the inventory adjustments that resulted from them.

Permissions for Removing a Pack Size

A new Security preference controls whether the Remove button in the Drug Folder Inventory tab is available for selection. In More (...) > Security > General Access > Inventory, a user can be configured to have Full Access or No Access for the Remove Pack Size row.

  • Full Access - Remove button is enabled, except for centrally maintained pack sizes. This is the default for Pharmacy Manager users.

  • No Access - Remove button is disabled. This is the default for all other user types.

Eligible and Ineligible Pack Sizes for Removal

Pack sizes that cannot be removed include:

  • Centrally maintained pack sizes (as indicated by the lock icon ).

  • Pack sizes that are the sole pack size in the Drug Folder (existing functionality).

    Default pack sizes can be removed but a new pack size must be set as Default to Save the Drug Folder.

Pack sizes that can be removed include:

  • Any custom pack sizes regardless if they were used in prescriptions. A prompt will appear upon removal if the pack size was associated to prescriptions. The user can proceed with the removal by selecting Yes.

    Prescriptions for the removed pack size that are currently in Packaging, Technical Validation, or Clinical Review will not be impacted; these prescriptions can continue to be processed as per usual.

Inventory Adjustments Due to Pack Size Removal

  • Any On Hand amounts or Owe Balances are cleared when a pack size is removed.

  • If a purchase order is received and it contains a pack size that has since been removed, the pack size will appear on the Auto-Reconcile Exceptions report with a Type of "Pack Size Removed" and Notes indicating "Pack Size removed from system before order reconcile." No inventory will be added for these pack sizes; review the items on the report and manually adjust inventory if needed.

    Pack sizes that have been removed will not prevent a purchase order from closing.

Logging of Pack Size Removals

  • When a pack size is removed, records are added to the Drug Folder History tab to document the pack size removal and changes to the On Hand or Owe Balance.

  • When an Owe Balance is updated due to a pack size removal, an Owe Balance Edit row is added to Workflow Details.

For information on how to remove a pack size, see Removing a Pack Size.

The accuracy of item numbers is crucial when ordering product and reconciling purchase orders. As such, the following changes have been made to ensure item numbers are up-to-date and users are alerted when an item number may be invalid.

  • PTS will now update item numbers on a daily basis.

  • An item number cannot be assigned to more than one product from the same supplier. When an item number is entered for a product, Propel Rx will now validate if the item number has been assigned to any products in the supplier catalogue within Propel Rx. If the item number is a duplicate, a Validation Error will appear indicating “Item # 'XXXXXX' is assigned to another product/pack size for the same Supplier. Duplicate Item numbers are not supported.”

    This validation will not trigger when the item number is all zeroes or if both pack sizes are centrally maintained.

  • Upon upgrade, if a custom pack size has the same McKesson item number as a centrally maintained pack size in the same Drug Folder, its item number will be converted to 000000. This was done to avoid purchase order reconciliation issues associated with duplicate item numbers for the same DIN.

    For item numbers that are not associated with centrally maintained pack sizes, validation for duplicate item numbers will be triggered upon the first Save of the Drug Folder.

  • For pharmacies using perpetual inventory in Propel Rx, in Rx Detail, an “Invalid item Number” indicator will now display below the Pk(OH) field if the selected pack size has an item number containing only zeroes.

  • An item number is no longer required to add a pack size. However, a prompt will appear when verifying a purchase order prior to send if the order contains an item number of 0. A user should review these products and make necessary adjustments to the item number or remove them from the order and order the correct products.

    Sort the Products On Order grid by the Item # (select the column header) to bring all products with an item number of 0 to the top.

Upon upgrade to Propel Rx 1.9 SP1, a Price Code change will be implemented to create consistency in the Drug Folders and reduce confusion when billing prescription quantities.

For more information, see Price Code Change.

In Alberta, when a mixture prescription is transmitted to the EHR, the Trade Name will now be transmitted as the Drug Name and the Generic and Trade Name will be transmitted as the Drug Description. This change was made to accomodate the 100 character limit for the drug name on the EHR.

A QD field has been added to the Intake window. The existing Rep field has been moved to the bottom of the window.

The patient's PHN and prescriber's license number have been added to the Patient Official Receipt report. In British Columbia, the BC PharmaCare ID has also been added.

The minimum length for a Propel Rx password has increased from eight to ten characters.

To align with New Brunswick DIS business rules, refills and refusals of Aborted/Discontinued prescriptions will not be permitted. A prompt will now appear if a prescription is refilled or refused and its status is Discontinued in Propel Rx.

To proceed, users must first reactivate the prescription by selecting the Active checkbox in the Patient Profile.

An Rx Effective Date field has been added to the Rx Detail Extended tab. It will be set to the Written Rx Date for historical, new, and reauthorized, prescriptions. The Rx Effective Date can be edited in the same scenarios as the Written Rx Date (e.g., New/ReAuth prescription).

The following constraints must be followed when populating the Rx Effective Date field:

  • The Rx Effective Date can never be earlier than the Written Rx Date , however, the Rx Effective Date can be future dated.

  • The Fill Date can never be earlier than the Rx Effective Date, unless the prescription is placed on Hold.

  • The Rx Effective Date cannot be left blank.

Fixes

EHR Profile

  • If a patient’s EHR Profile has already been viewed, a forced view should not occur when processing a prescription on the Workbench if the patient session has not ended yet (i.e., break in the glass has not occurred).

Labels

  • In Propel Rx 1.9 SP2, the Half and Daily Laser labels will be refreshed. One of these changes will include printing the prescription number (Rx#) on the vial label and official receipt, instead of the authorization number (Auth#). No changes will be made to the Thermal labels as they already print the prescription number.

Patient Centre

  • On the Best Possible Medication History Pro form, the question, “Verbal consent from patient to receive service,” has been removed. Written consent is always required for in-person medication reviews.

Patient

  • An EHR Search can now be conducted when only the second search line is populated.

  • A country code of United States can now be transmitted when a patient is added, or their demographic information is updated in Propel Rx. For all other countries besides Canada and United States (i.e., Country = Other), Propel Rx will send a blank country code and the province as British Columbia, which will allow the EHR to accept the patient request. For Other countries, enter the postal code and country in the Address Line.

    A postal code is required for any country entered.

Prescription Corrections

  • An error should no longer appear when a Dispense note is added to a mixture prescription and the prescription is refused.

  • When a prescription is extended and then refused, the cancelled prescription should retain the SIG that was entered during the Extend process.

    With the introduction of Rebill functionality, you can rebill an extension instead of refusing and refilling it. The rebill will retain the prescription information that was originally entered, which can be modified as needed.

  • When a reauthorized prescription is cancelled, a Hold status should not be assigned automatically. A prompt should appear which gives the user the option to place the prescription on Hold or Revoke it.

  • When a rejected claim is Aborted in Rx Detail, the prescription should revert to a Complete status.

  • The Supplier Prices and Acquisition Costs should no longer be updated upon purchase order reconciliation.

  • The Fill Date on the e-File copy should now reflect the date the prescription was filled and not necessarily the date it was entered in Propel Rx. These dates can differ, such as in the case of Auto Refill prescriptions.

  • A defect was addressed that made On Hand quantities, ReOrder (PT), and ReOrder (PK) fields not editable in some circumstances. These fields should now always be editable prior to submitting a Cycle Count.

  • When inventory is added to a pack size at the time of its creation, an initial shipment should now be created in the Shipment window for prescriptions to use. Previously, an initial shipment was not created, causing Owe Balances to be generated despite enough Actual on Hand.

  • We fixed an issue where prescription sold dates weren't populating in Propel POS when prescriptions were set to auto-pickup in Workflow Preferences > POS Settings.

  • Prescriptions that are currently in the process of being rebilled can no longer be refused. If attempted, the following prompt will appear.

  • In the Interactions section of the Technical Validation/Clinical Review window, interactions should now be sorted in descending order by severity:

    1. Contraindicated

    2. Severe

    3. Moderate

    4. Low

    Within each severity category, the interaction types will display in the following order:

    1. Drug-Allergy

    2. Drug-Drug

    3. Drug-Medical

    4. Drug-Food

  • We fixed an issue that was causing the Select Rx Image window from Intake to only display the first page of a multi-page attachment.

  • Special Service Codes and Special Service Fees should now auto-poulate in Rx Detail when they are required based on the DIN and Third Party plan. In Alberta, this was already occurring for the Bill Code = AC.

  • We fixed an issue that was causing Auto Refill enrolled Hold prescriptions to be moved to Auto Refill Park when their WB Dates were updated.

  • We fixed an issue that was causing Narcotic Drug Record Book reports to not batch scan successfully.