Ordering:
TechCare® has two toggles on the Drug Order Entry screen that play a role in brand name vs. generic selection during the medication ordering process.
- Generic Preferred
- Formulary Only
Both are toggled ON by default when the Drug Order Entry screen is opened.
Many times, brand names are considered NON-FORMULARY due to there being a more cost-effective generic option. However, the brand name is more well known and easier to search for during order entry. In order to find the brand name of the medication, but also ensure the preferred formulary option of generic medication is selected, follow the steps below.
- Leave Generic Preferred toggled ON.
- Un-toggle Formulary Only (i.e. turn it OFF).
- Search for the brand name in the Drug [name] field. In this example, search for Celexa by typing the first few letters of the drug name. Notice what appears is in red font. This is a visual indicator that the medication is Non-Formulary.
- Select the desired medication (in this case, CeleXA Oral). TechCare® will automatically change CeleXA or the brand-named medication in question to the generic option because the Generic Preferred toggle is ON.
Medication Administration:
The pharmacy vendor will determine what they will actually fulfill the order with. Because TechCare® will have no way of knowing which variation of any medication the pharmacy will provide, there are features in place to help nursing staff understand all of the options during medication pass.
Using the CeleXA example above where generic was ordered, on TechCare®’s eMAR click the informational tool tip. The MAR entry will expand and display all variations of that particular medication.
This functionality also exists in the desktop (4.5) version of TechCare® via a hover tool tip. Simply hover the mouse over the medication name on the eMAR and all associated medication variations will appear.
