Starting a New Prescription (not refilling)
To start a new prescription click  New Prescription and confirm your action at the dialog below!

You will need to know the patient’s chart number in order to complete the prescription!

If you navigated to Prescriptions from the Patients module the current patient’s chart number is copied to the clipboard for pasting into the new record.

After clicking OK a blank prescription screen is created.  If you navigated from Patients the Chart will be filled with the copied chart number.


The Prescription Entry Screen
Let’s go through each section of this screen to learn about the features and, most importantly, the requirements and restrictions!
 
Chart
The patient is linked to the prescription via the Chart field.
 
When you create a new prescription you MUST enter the Chart number.

If you click into this field after a prescription is printed you get the dialog below left!  The same holds true if you try to “paste” into this field

If you click the clipboard icon next to this field it pastes the current clipboard contents.

If you click the arrow it finds the patient’s record!

Selected Drug
When you click in this field you get a list of all records in the Procedures module that were entered as drugs and have their TOS field as DR.  This list looks like the one above right!

If you select a medication that is out-of-stock you will get warned and will NOT be allowed to print the prescription!

Prescription Instructions
This section holds all the pop-up lists that you can select from (and edit, too) to create your prescription instructions.  When you Select a Drug some of these fields are filled in with the defaults you entered in the Procedures module for that medication.  Many of the fields in this section are required in order to print a prescription.
 

Field name	Req.	Function
Amount	Yes	Select how much to use at each dosing (i.e. 1 drop, 2 drops)
How Often	Yes	The duration between doses (i.e. every 2 hours, 4 times per day)
Use Where	Yes	Where should the medication be used/taken (i.e. oral)
How Long	Yes	How long a time period should the medication be used
Units Dispensed	Yes	How many of YOUR units were dispensed  (i.e. 1 bottle).  If you sell 30 tablets in one package that is still 1 unit!
Extra	No	Any special instruction go here (i.e. Avoid sun exposure!)
Doctor	Yes	This pop-up list is created from the Office Personnel file.  Those personnel or doctors who can dispense are “checked off” and appear on this list.  However, you can enter a name by hand!
Refill Expires	Yes	This date is pre-entered as one year from TODAY.  After this date a prescription cannot be refilled even if refills remain!
Refills	Yes	This is how many refills remain from this prescription.  To change the number of refills from the default of “0” click into the field.  Once a prescription is printed you cannot change the number of refills (see below).
Price	Yes	This amount is looked up from the Procedures module from Fee Schedule “A” and cannot be changed with low level passwords.
Extend	calc	This field is calculated as the number of units dispensed x price

Editing a Pop-up List or Menu
You have the ability to edit the pop-up list or menu associated with most of these fields.  To do so scroll down to the bottom of the list and select Edit... as shown here.  You are then presented with the entire list to edit.  Since you have full command of this list you can customize the software anyway you want!

Label Preview and Print
This section shows you how the directions will appear on the label.  Review this area before printing!
 
Once you are ready to print click the Print button.

The software will check for errors.  If an error exists you will get a dialog explaining the error and then the cursor placed in the field that needs to be corrected.

If there are no errors to be found you will be presented with the Print Setup (windows) or Page Setup (MacOS) dialog boxes.  On the Windows side you can change printers at this dialog if the wrong one was selected.  On the MacOS side you will need to go to the Chooser to change to the LabelWriter if it wasn’t already selected.

If during the printing process the wrong printer was detected you get the dialog below.  If you are aware of this problem you can continue, if not you are taken to the System Preferences screen to change the main of your default printer.  You would then need to return to Prescription entry!  

If all goes well with the printing sequence the following occurs:

·  The number of labels you want printed based on your selection in the Prescriptions Preferences section will be printed!
·  The inventory will be debited for the medication if you selected.

·  You will be returned to the Main Menu.

Printing Extra Labels
If you need to print extra labels you can return to the Entry screen and click.  You can then enter exactly how many extra labels you wish to print at the Page/Print setup dialog.