Add or Update a Prescription

Add or Update a Prescription

Entering Prescriptions

Using the Calendar Button

How Do I Enter Vitamin and/or Supplements?

What is the Magnifying Glass Icon Mean?

Can I Track Over-the-Counter Drugs?

Medicine Manager

The Add/Update Window: this window display the contents of a single record. It is invoked when you click on the INSERT button. This window appears if you are adding a new record or updating a previously saved record. If the record is large, there may be tabs at the top to move to different sections of the record. The functions in Add/Update are: OK to save data that have been entered, CANCEL to not save the data and HELP.

Entering Prescription Data
Descriptions of the data found on the Prescription window are below for your reference. Scroll down for additional fields.

Drug Name As Prescribed: - See Zoom Instructions Below
Enter the name of the prescription drug. To enter a non-prescribed vitamin or supplement, begin the name with the left brace "{". In this way, all vitamins will be displayed and printed on reports after the prescriptions.

Generic Name
If you have it, enter the Generic Name of the drug that was prescribed. Generic drugs are the same chemically as the name brand, but usually less expensive. Get generic drugs when possible.

Purpose
The purpose is what the drug does, or what ailment is it for. For example, High Blood Pressure, Infection on Leg, Reduce Cholesterol, stop dizzy spells, etc.

Rx Number
Enter the prescription number for this drug. It usually changes each time you order the prescription.

Number of Refills
This is how many time you can get this prescription refilled.

Doctor's Name - See Zoom Instructions Below
Enter the name of the doctor prescribing the medication. If you have previously entered the doctor's name, you can select the name from the drop-down list. For more information on entering doctor's name, click on Tips for Entering Doctor's Names.

Date Filled
Enter the date that this prescription was filled. This is a required field. For Vitamins or over-the-counter drugs, enter date you began taking the medication/supplement, if known, the purchase date or today's date.

NOTE: Calendar Button
All date fields provide a calendar icon to click

When you click on the icon, a calendar will be displayed. Use the arrow keys to find the correct date. Highlight the date and click, it will be displayed on the screen for you.

Cost
Enter the direct cost for this drug. This may be the entire cost or a copay that is made for this drug. NOTE: upon saving this record, you will be prompted,
"Do you wish to set this up as a Medical Expense Item?" If YES, the expense will be added as a expense item and you can complete the related expense data. Click on Adding an Expense Item for instructions. If NO, you can add the item, if appropriate, manually.

Form of Drug - See Zoom Instructions Below
Enter type of drug: tablet, capsule, liquid, ointment, etc.

Mg Size
This is the dosage or prescription strength of the drug. For example, an aspirin can be 81 mg, or 325 mg, etc.

Quantity
Enter the quantity supplied in this prescription.

Plan Name - See Zoom Instructions Below
Enter the name of the health insurance plan which covers the cost of this prescription

Drug Manufactured By - See Zoom Instructions Below
If available, enter the name of the drug company; for example Bristol-Myers Squibb, Glazo Smith Kline, Merck etc.

Pharmacy Name - See Zoom Instructions Below
Enter the name of the pharmacy. You will be prompted to enter address, phone number, hours, web address, and pharmacist's name.

Taken When:
Enter how often and how much this drug is taken. It usually states it on the label, such as 1 time per day, or twice a day after meals, etc.

Refill Every:
Enter how often this drug must be refilled. For example, if the prescription is for three months worth, then you can put in the number of days (90) or 3 months.

Expiration Discard Date - With Calendar button option
Enter when this drug expires. It may be on the bottle or the label. If no date is entered, one year from the fill date will automatically fill this field. Most pharmacies put a one-year expiration or discard date on prescriptions.

Refill Reminder Date - With Calendar button option
Enter the date that you wish the program to use in order to remind you to refill this prescription.

Include in Medicine Manager þ Click for Yes
Keep this box checked if you wish to include this drug in your Medicine Manager Report. Click on Tell Me More About Medicine Manager.

Active
Keep the check in this box if this is a drug currently taken, or about to be started. Click to uncheck the box, if you are discontinuing this drug, or have a new prescription for it. Then check the NEW prescription as Active.

Date Inactive
This field is automatically filled when you uncheck the Active Box.

Special Instructions and Notes Tab
Click on the Special Instructions and Notes tab to keep special instructions. These are free-form memo notes for you to keep information about the drug and its usage or instructions from your doctor or pharmacist.

Entering Vitamins and Supplements: Use the Left Curly Brace {
If you wish to track vitamins and other supplements, we recommend that you enter them as you would the prescriptions with one addition. Begin the name of the vitamin with a left curly brace "{" and then enter the name. In this way, all prescriptions will be displayed and/or printed first, followed by vitamins grouped in alphabetical order.

Entering Over-the-Counter Purchases: Use the Right Curly Brace }
If you wish to track over the counter purchases, we recommend that you enter them as you would the prescriptions with one addition. Begin the name of the OTC drug with a right curly brace "}" and then enter the name. In this way, all prescriptions will be displayed and/or printed first, followed by vitamins grouped in alphabetical order and then over the counter drugs grouped in alphabetical order..

Buttons and Keys

OK Button	Accept data and closes the window
Cancel Button	Cancel operation; restores original information
Help Button	See Help Window

Zoom Icon - What does this mean?

At the end of several key data fields, a Zoom icon will appear. Those data fields are the:

Drug Name

Doctor's Name

Form of Drug

Plan Name

Drug Manufacturer's Name

Pharmacy Name

Each one of the above is a mini-database, which contain one or several additional pieces of information. After you first enter a prescription, you may need to change or add information on one of the above.

To access any of these data files to make additions or changes:

Select a prescription to change

Click the Zoom Icon at the enter of the data you want to update

Highlight desired data and click Change or click Insert to add a new record.

Make additions or changes

Click OK to save the data

Click Close to return to the Prescription List Window.

What is happening if data changes don't appear?
If you have changed information on any of the mini-databases, you must re-select the item to refresh the display. For example, if you added or changed the generic name on a prescription, and saved the record. The new generic name information will be not displayed until you re-select the drug from the drop down list. The new information will then appear.

See also:

Browse the Drug Names File

Browse the Doctors List

Browse the Pharmacy List

Medicine Manager