Pharmacists and physicians now have free access to Medicare Part D Rx plan formularies via their mobile devices or the Web,
courtesy of Epocrates Inc. The information also includes Rx plan co-pay tiers, generic drug options, and coverage restrictions.
Go to the Web site found at http:// http://www2.epocrates.com/index.html and click on the Resource Center. If you're not a member, you'll have to register, but it's free.
Use X12N 837 to e-bill professional services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has reaffirmed that the ASC X12N 837 Professional 4010 and 4010A1 remain the
approved standard for electronically submitting claims for pharmacy professional services. The National Community Pharmacists
Association had sought clarification about which electronic data interchange format and code set standards should be used
for professional services billing.
Swing shiftPharmacy Resources Network, Kennesaw, Ga., has released e-staffing and e-scheduling software that allows pharmacies to post
their open work shifts on a secure Web site. Once a shift is posted, an e-mail is sent via PDA, cell, or PC to prescreened
pharmacists available to work in the pharmacy's geographic area. Another e-mail is sent to a Pharmacy Resources Network scheduler,
who informs the pharmacy when an R.Ph. indicates he/she will cover the shift. The R.Ph. is also sent MapQuest directions to
the location. For more information, go to: http:// http://www.rphprnusa.com/.
Wise move
RxWise
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Dow Chemical has signed up to offer its employees Iatrogen's RxWise personal adverse drug reaction safety checking system.
RxWise is available for $39.95 loaded on a portable USB flash drive or via the Web for $24. With pull-down windows, users
can record medical information, medications, and known allergies. They instantly receive a summary of relevant advisories
on any potential risks, which can be forwarded to their physician or pharmacist. The Web site is http://www.rxwise.com/.
Companionship
The second edition of the Pharmacy Companion Guide with programming instructions for X12N 837 has been issued by the Pharmacist Services Technical Advisory Coalition (PSTAC).
The guide focuses specifically on data content germane to processing claims for pharmacy professional services. It can be
ordered on-line at http://www.wpc-edi.com/ for $225 as a bound document, $205 for a CD-ROM, or $190 as a downloadable PDF.
Special delivery
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a self-assembling cube-shaped container no bigger than a speck of dust that could
deliver medications and cell therapy. The metallic cubes, coated with a thin layer of gold, mix electronic chip-making with
basic chemistry and may someday release drugs on demand in response to a remote-controlled radio frequency signal. The research
was published in the December issue of Biomedical Microdevices.
Name recognition
Consumers are much more aware of radio frequency identification (RFID) than they were a year ago, according to a survey of
more than 7,000 adults by BIGresearch and Artafact LLC. At the time of the survey, 42% of those polled had heard of RFID,
compared with only 28% in 2004. However, awareness may not rise much further unless there is some news event to spark consumer
interest, according to the researchers.
Drug Topics archives are now available on ModernMedicine.com, a new online resource designed to meet the evolving needs of physicians.