What's New in Propel Rx 2.1

Key Enhancements and Fixes

  • Guided Reordering uses dispensing history and projected need to calculate product-level reorder points. Once enabled, Propel Rx keeps these reorder points up to date based on changes in patient demand. See Drug Folder - Guided Reordering for more information.

  • Guided Reordering uses dispensing history and projected need to calculate product-level reorder points. Once enabled, Propel Rx keeps these reorder points up to date based on changes in patient demand. See Drug Folder - Guided Reordering for more information.

  • With Order Grouping, products with the same GCN can be grouped together for the purposes of inventory management. For example, the On Hand of all products in the group will be pooled together and a shared reorder method and reorder point will determine when and how much of a Default product is ordered. See Drug Folder - Order Grouping for more information.

  • The Product Usage view is a month-by-month picture of product usage over the past two years. A particularly useful feature for inventory reconciliation is its detailed monthly drug movement line graph which plots On Hand changes due to dispenses, expiries, purchase orders, and manual adjustments. See Drug Folder - Product Usage View for more information.

  • Replacement DIN updates allow non-interchangeable drugs to be entered in the Rpl DIN field. Any changes to the Rpl DIN will now be logged in the Drug Folder History tab. See Drug Folder - Replacement DIN Function Updates for more information.

  • The Supplier Price and Block Supp $ fields for PTS centrally maintained products are now open for editing. Changes to the Supplier Price, Acquisition Cost, and Eligibility Price will now be logged in the Drug Folder History tab. See Drug Folder - Supplier Price and Block Supp $ Fields Re-Opening for more information.

  • The Prompt for Interchangeables preference lets you choose when the Drug Interchangeables prompt appears during prescription processing. This preference is only available when the Generic Formulary preference is ON. See Drug Interchangeables Window - Prompt for Interchangeables Preference for more information.

Enhancements

All columns in the Shipment window are now fully visible without requiring horizontal scrolling. The Ordered Date (formerly known as the Received Date) now appears in the first column and indicates when a purchase order was sent. The Received Date (formerly known as the Applied Date) now appears in the second column with an accompanying timestamp and reflects when a purchase order was reconciled. For McKesson and K&F purchase orders, the Applied Date is displayed; however, it remains blank for manually reconciled purchase orders.

ReOrder Method Field

The Cycle Count module now includes a column for changing the ReOrder Method. Options include:

  • Reorder Pt/Pk - turns the Monitor flag ON (if not already) and enables the ReOrder (PT) and ReOrder (PK) fields.

  • Guided Reordering - turns the Monitor flag ON (if not already) and sets the product-level Guided Reorder parameters to the pharmacy-level defaults. ReOrder (PT) and ReOrder (PK) fields are disabled.

  • Do Not Reorder - ReOrder (PT) and ReOrder (PK) fields are disabled.

As with other changes in the Cycle Count module, changes to the ReOrder Method are logged in the Drug Folder History tab.

Updated Confirmation Prompt Verbiage

The confirmation verbiage after submitting a Cycle Count has been updated to remind you to print the Cycle Count Summary report before closing.

Changing a drug to an interchangeable is now permitted when an Amend is performed on a new prescription that was placed on Hold.

This action is not permitted in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia as Holds are transmitted to the EHR.

In the Drug Folder Inventory tab, the column name for the advanced ordering pack size has been changed from Pack Size to Adv Order (pk size) for clarity.

When a value is entered in this field, a prompt will now ask for you to confirm the action.

When a negative Re-Order Point value is entered, the Re-Order # Packs will now default to 1 and be disabled.

The Do Not ReOrder checkbox in the Drug Folder is now a radio button.

Guided Reordering helps your pharmacy manage inventory by automatically calculating reorder points using your pharmacy's dispensing history and forecasted needs. Instead of relying on manual values, it provides dynamic calculations that adjust as patient demand changes. Your pharmacy can set parameters - such as days supply, dispensing history, and safety buffers - to tailor the calculation to your specific needs.

For more information, see Guided Reordering.

Guided Reordering is preference driven and requires activation by PTS before use.

Guided Reordering helps your pharmacy manage inventory by automatically calculating reorder points using your pharmacy's dispensing history and forecasted needs. Instead of relying on manual values, it provides dynamic calculations that adjust as patient demand changes.

For more information, see Guided Reordering.

The Reset function in the Drug Folder Inventory tab has been fine-tuned so resets are performed based on product ID and not pack size. Only one product can now be selected for a reset.

An inventory reset will do the following for the selected product:

  • Zero out On Hand inventory.

  • Remove all Owe Balances and On Order amounts.

  • Record a manual adjustment out in the Product Usage view.

  • Update the values in the Order Grouping window, if the product is part of an Order Group.

  • Add a row to the Drug Folder History tab with a comment of whether shipments were retained or not.

  • Remove all shipment details if this option was chosen.

The Last Cycle Count date now appears in the Drug Folder. This date refers to when a product was last reconciled using the Cycle Count module in Propel Rx. It displays in two locations in the Drug Folder:

  • Information bar (top) - pertains to the default pack size

  • Packs Available section - pertains to the highlighted pack size

    You may need to scroll to the right to see the Last Cycle Count date in the Packs Available section.

Products that have not been Cycle Counted before will display a Last Cycle Count date of "N/A" in the Drug Folder. However, in the Cycle Count module and Inventory History report, the date will display as "August 18, 2020", which corresponds to when the feature was first introduced in Propel Rx.

Order Grouping lets you to manage all products with the same GCN using one shared reorder method and reorder point, giving you tighter control over stock levels for related items. By treating these products as a single group, you can reduce overstocking. Instead of ordering multiple brands and pack sizes of a single drug, you order one Default product per Order Group. The new Order Grouping window also makes it easier to review group activity and adjust ordering parameters across the entire Order Group.

A GCN is a standardized identifier issued by First Databank (FDB) that's used in pharmacy and healthcare systems to group together drug products that share the same active ingredient, strength, and dosage form - regardless of brand or manufacturer.

For more information, including how to turn ON this feature, see Order Grouping.

Order Grouping is preference driven and is turned OFF by default on upgrade.

For more information, see Order Grouping.

The new Product Usage view gives your pharmacy a month-by-month picture of how a product has been used over the past two years. It includes a bar chart showing prescription volumes and dispensed units, a detailed monthly drug movement graph, and an information panel with key inventory and reorder details. Together, these components help you understand trends, spot unusual activity, and reconcile inventory.

For more information, see Product Usage View.

You can now set a non-interchangeable DIN as a Replacement DIN (Rpl DIN) in the Drug Folder. When entering a Rpl DIN that isn't interchangeable, you will now see a prompt informing you of this fact and asking if you want to proceed.

If Yes is selected, the update to the Rpl DIN field is recorded in the Drug Folder History tab. The Comments will also indicate "Interchangeable Override prompt acknowledged." If No is selected, the update to the field is reverted.

If the DIN is interchangeable, no prompt will appear and a record will still be added to the Drug Folder History tab without the additional comment about the override prompt.

As we work with PharmaClik Ordering to ensure accurate pricing for all the catalogues and products we support, we have temporarily reopened the Supplier Price and Block Supp $ fields for all PTS centrally maintained products.

Any changes to the Supplier Price (Price), Acquisition Cost (Acq Cost) and Eligibility Price (Prov $) will now be logged in the Drug Folder History tab. This includes both manual changes and changes due to purchase order reconciliation (if applicable based on Supplier Cost Update preferences). Price changes due to purchase order reconciliation will be identifiable by the comments in the Drug History record which will list the supplier name and invoice number.

Prompt for Interchangeables Preference

A new preference called Prompt for Interchangeables is now available within Pharmacy Preferences. This preference becomes enabled when the Generic Formulary preference is ON. It controls whether the Drug Interchangeables window appears when a prescription is processed for a non-primary drug into Rx Detail. Non-primary refers to drugs that are designated as secondary or not listed on a generic formulary.

Options include:

  • ALL - prompts for interchangeables on all prescription types (default).

  • NEW - prompts for interchangeables on new prescriptions only.

  • REFILL/REAUTH - prompts for interchangeables on refills and reauthorizations.

  • NONE - does not prompt for interchangeables.

Changes to the Prompt for Interchangeables are applied upon Save and do not require a restart of Propel Rx.

The Generic Formulary preference was previously labelled as Enterprise/MSC Formulary/Remedy's Rx.

New Layout of the Drug Interchangeables Window

The Drug Interchangeables window now shows all interchangeables with no separate views for generic formulary selections or generics only.

The Drug Interchangeables window is used for generic substitution and lists all DINs within an interchangeable group. It can be opened manually from the Drug Folder, Drug Search window, or Rx Detail. It can also appear automatically in Rx Detail if you are not processing the lowest priced interchangeable or a non-primary drug if your pharmacy is part of a generic formulary program.

  • Products on a banner formulary are bolded. A new column titled "Formulary" now appears in the leftmost position to indicate if a product is "Primary", "Secondary", or neither (blank).

  • Products are sorted by generic formulary designation first with Primaries superceding Secondaries then On Hand quantity then Trade Name, as shown below.

    1. Generic formulary indication if applicable (primary first; multiple primaries are listed alphabetically in ascending order)

      1. On Hand quantity (descending)

        1. Trade name (alphabetically in ascending order)

New Layout of the Generic Formulary Interchangeable Exceptions Window

The Generic Formulary Interchangeable Exceptions window that may appear during batch scheduling has been updated with clearer language and new columns for On Hand values and quantities.

The Generic Formulary Interchangeables Exceptions window is similar to the Drug Interchangeables window except it's used for batches. It appears automatically when you schedule a batch and the lowest priced interchangeables or Primary drugs (if your pharmacy is part of a generic formulary program) were not part of the batch.

  • The Skip All checkbox now displays in the first column.

  • A new Qty column is available in this window.

  • Up to six interchangeables now display in this window. The Primary and Secondary drugs always show followed by other interchangeables with positive On Hands. Brands are sorted as follows:

    1. Generic formulary indication (primary first)

      1. On Hand quantity (descending)

  • Primary and Secondary column headers were removed and replaced with "(P)" and "(S)" indicators beside the MFR code. The MFR for Primary and Secondary products display in bold.

  • The On Hand now displays in brackets below the MFR.

  • When a row is highlighted, a Total Needed per batch value displays at the bottom left. This is the quantity needed for the entire batch for that particular product.

  • If a filter has been applied, a message appears at the bottom for the user's awareness.

New Layout of the Drug Interchangeables Window

The Drug Interchangeables window now shows all interchangeables with no separate views for generic formulary selections or generics only.

The Drug Interchangeables window is used for generic substitution and lists all DINs within an interchangeable group. It can be opened manually from the Drug Folder, Drug Search window, or Rx Detail. It can also appear automatically in Rx Detail if you are not processing the lowest priced interchangeable or a non-primary drug if your pharmacy is part of a generic formulary program.

  • Products on a banner formulary are bolded. A new column titled "Formulary" now appears in the leftmost position to indicate if a product is "Primary", "Secondary", or neither (blank).

  • Products are sorted by generic formulary designation first with Primaries superceding Secondaries then On Hand quantity then Trade Name, as shown below.

    1. Generic formulary indication if applicable (primary first; multiple primaries are listed alphabetically in ascending order)

      1. On Hand quantity (descending)

        1. Trade name (alphabetically in ascending order)

New Layout of the Generic Formulary Interchangeable Exceptions Window

The Generic Formulary Interchangeable Exceptions window that may appear during batch scheduling has been updated with clearer language and new columns for On Hand values and quantities.

The Generic Formulary Interchangeables Exceptions window is similar to the Drug Interchangeables window except it's used for batches. It appears automatically when you schedule a batch if the lowest priced interchangeables or non-Primary drugs (if your pharmacy is part of a generic formulary program) were not part of the batch.

  • The Skip All checkbox now displays in the first column.

  • A new Qty column is available in this window.

  • Up to six interchangeables with positive On Hand values now display in this window. Brands are sorted as follows:

    1. Generic formulary indication (primary first)

      1. On Hand quantity (descending)

  • Primary and Secondary column headers were removed and replaced with "(P)" and "(S)" indicators beside the MFR code. The MFR for Primary and Secondary products display in bold.

  • The On Hand now displays in brackets below the MFR.

  • When a row is highlighted, a Total Needed per batch value displays at the bottom left. This is the quantity needed for the entire batch for that particular product.

  • If a filter has been applied, a message appears at the bottom for the user's awareness.

Formulary Column in Drug Search Results

When the Generic Formulary preference is ON, a Formulary column will display in the Drug Search results grid. Products that are on the generic formulary (i.e., Primary or Secondary) will be shown in bold. The new Formulary column will be in the first position.

Default column order in Drug Search will be: Formulary, DIN/PIN, Trade Name, Strength, Pack Size (formerly labelled as Size), Form, On Hand, MFR, Item Number, UPC, CCDD, GCN, and Generic Name. However, if there were any customized Drug Search grids prior to upgrade, they will be retained.

Updated Sort Order for Drug Search Results

When a drug search is conducted by generic or trade name, results are now sorted by GCN first then Formulary indication then On Hand quantity then Trade Name, as shown below.

  1. GCN (ascending)

    1. Generic formulary indication if applicable (primary first; multiple primaries are listed alphabetically in ascending order)

      1. On Hand quantity (descending)

        1. Trade name (alphabetically in ascending order)

Updated Item Number Search Logic

When searching for a drug by item number, all products that have an item number that matches or contains the entered item number will be returned.

In the example below, a search for item number "8998" returned item numbers of 008998 and 728998.

If you process a prescription for a drug that has insufficient On Hand, the Owe Balance window now displays a message if you have enough On Hand for an interchangeable. This message can appear whether the Owe Balance window is opened manually or automatically, as long as the prescription is active in Workflow.

A MSC Specialty checkbox has been added to the Drug Movement report. When this checkbox is selected, the report is generated for drugs flagged as MSC Specialty.

This flag is only visible for Medicine Shoppe stores.

Fixes

  • Fixed an issue that was causing insufficient quantities to be added to the Order Pad for some decimal pack sizes when Digital Owe Balance is ON, Owe Label Print is set to Process Owe, and Auto Reconcile Owe is ON.

Sunsetted

In the Cycle Count module, the blank option in the Reason dropdown has been removed. The default reason is now "Cycle Count."

The Do Not Show Interchangeables checkbox in the Drug Interchangeables window has been removed. You can now control whether this window appears during prescription processing using the new Prompt for Interchangeables Preference.