Prescription defaults
Set preferences for creating and printing prescriptions and lab request labels.
Before you start
Security
- Defaults – Practice
Setup
- Inventory items set as controlled substances, with NDC/DIN numbers, if using
- Staff setup with license numbers
- Practice address
- Printers set up with prescription label printer assignments
Important!
- These defaults apply to only prescription and lab labels, and do not apply to labels set up in Client Correspondence.
Set up prescription defaults
Navigate to Controls > Defaults > Practice and Workstation > Prescriptions
Prescription label/lab request label area
- Print heading: Prints your practice information on prescription and lab request labels.
- Print staff license: Prints the veterinarian’s staff license on prescription labels.
- Small font: Uses a smaller font for the text on labels to allow for longer instructions. See additional notes for more information.
- Print client addr if controlled substance: Prints the client’s address on prescription labels for controlled substances. This option is only available if Small font selected.
- Print NDC/DIN (National Drug Code/Drug Identification Number): Prints drug identification numbers on prescription labels. If not selected, the serial number is used.
- Drug identification numbers and serial numbers are setup under the Inventory tab of an inventory item.
- Print Patient ID: Prints the Patient ID on prescription labels. Only prints if Small font selected.
Prescription area
- Warn user when quantity is 1: Displays an alert if a prescription quantity is 1. This is recommended to ensure the correct quantity is entered.
- Override expiration date/Maximum number of months: Select and enter the number of months to use as the expiration date on the prescription label.
- The number of months defaults to 36 and can be changed accordingly.
- If not selected, the expiration date from the item’s record will be used.
- If selected and prescribed item also has an expiration date, the earliest of the dates will be used.
Example: override is set to 6 months and the item expires in 5 months. The item date will be used.
- Filled by staff required: Requires the Filled by field to be completed on the Prescription Information dialog box before staff are allowed to process a prescription.
- Days supply required: Requires the Days Supply field to be completed when creating a prescription for a controlled substance.
- If applicable, use the printer fields if you are having difficulty with text positioning on pharmacy or lab labels.
- Enter the local printer name In the Enter printer type 1 description(s) separated by a semi-colon field(;).
- This is the name assigned to the printer in the Windows setup.
- If you have more than one printer of the same printer model that is used, enter the share names for each printer, separated by a semicolon.
- Enter the number of units to lower the text in the Lower label text down field to adjust text positioning on labels.
- Approximately 50 units equals 1 line. It is best to adjust in increments of 10, starting with 10 units.
- If you have more than one printer type that needs adjusting, repeat the above steps in the Enter printer type 2 description(s) separated by a semi-colon field(;) and corresponding Lower label text down fields.
- Enter the local printer name In the Enter printer type 1 description(s) separated by a semi-colon field(;).
Additional information
Prescription date
- A message will display automatically when refilling a prescription that is more than a year old.
- Some states mandate a maximum expiration date. Use the Override expiration date/maximum number of months setting to meet this requirement.
- The expiration date will appear as 00/00/0000 on prescription labels if not tracking expiration dates or using the Override expiration date/maximum number of months setting.
- The expiration date is calculated from the number of months setting and the prescription label date.
Font
- Selection of the Small font setting allows for longer instructions that will print on the label.
- Example instruction allowed on a prescription label without using the Small font setting:
- Give _ tablet(s) by mouth every 12 hours for _ days, _ tablet(s) every 24 hours for _ days, _ tablet(s) every other day until gone. Thirst/urination may increase
- Example instruction allowed on a prescription label using the Small font setting:
- Give _ tablet(s) by mouth every 12 hours for _ days, then _ tablet(s) every 24 hours for _ days, then _ tablet(s) every other day until gone. Increased thirst and urination are common side effects. Please contact us if this is excessive
- Example instruction allowed on a prescription label without using the Small font setting:
- When creating a prescription label, instructions exceeding the printable space on the label will display a message and instructions will turn red.
