This article covers the process of dispensing a paper script in Minfos.
Video demonstration
Step by step instructions
From the Dispense Form:
1. In the Surname field do one of the following:
- Scan your stores own repeat barcode or enter the repeat quick code
- Scan the electronic script barcode
- Search for the customer by name, it is recommended that you input at least the first three letters of the surname, then press [Tab] or [Enter]
- Enter a street number and part street name, then press [Tab] or [Enter]
- Enter a Medicare number (with no spaces). When searching by Medicare Number the results will list all customers in the system with the same Medicare number. Include the IRN if you want a specific customer, then press [Tab] or [Enter]
The Customer Search Window is displayed showing the results of the search.
a. If required, the Customer Search Window has extended search ability.
i. Press [F4] or click Find to display the Customer Search window.
ii. You may select a radio button to confine your search to a particular type or simply start typing into the search box.
- As you type, the radio buttons will update to indicate the kind of search indicated by your search term
For example, if ‘20’ is typed into the search box, the radio buttons will update to indicate a possible Customer Code search.
- Continued typing of an address is recognised and indicated by the selection of the advanced search radio button.
iii. Press [Enter] or click OK to start the search. In this example, all patients with an address of ‘20 Gibson’ have been returned.
Note: If there are no search results, the Customer Entry window is displayed. Alternately, press [F5] or click Add F5 to add the customer.
Enter the customer details and press [Enter] or click Okay to add the customer. For further guidance, please refer to Add a New Customer in Dispense.
2. If more than one customer is displayed, press the corresponding [number], double click the correct customer or highlight the customer and press [Enter] or click Okay.
The Dispense Form is populated with the selected customer.
a. The Medicare Number is displayed.
b. The Customer Type is displayed. If this information is altered, it will only be altered for this particular script. When dispensing another script for this same customer, the type will revert back to what is set in the customer’s profile.
c. The Concession, Entitlement, or Repat number is displayed below the type.
d. SN $, General and Concessional amounts are displayed.
e. The RACF ID is displayed, if the Customer is in a Residential Care Facility.
f. The Scripts on File indicator displays if selected in the Customer Profile.
3. Enter the prescription date into the Rx Date field.
- This will default to the current date for a manual paper prescription or the prescription date for a scanned prescription
- To alter the script date prescribed in the same month enter the day e.g. dd and press [Tab]
- To alter the script for a previous month, input the day and month e.g ddmm and press [Tab]
- To alter the script for a previous year, input the day, month and year e.g. ddmmyy and press [Tab]
Note: The Chart Date field displays if the customer is in a Nursing Home, refer to Dispense from a NRMC for more information.
4. In the Drug field, type part of the brand name or enter a [ / ] (forward slash) and part or all of the active ingredient name of the prescribed drug into the drug field and press [Tab].
Tip: You can also enter the strength of the prescribed drug after the name, to narrow down the search results e.g amox 500
The Drug Recall Window is displayed with the results of your search:
a. Shortcut number to select the drug.
b. The Qty displays the max NHS amount.
c. The Bioequivalent Type, A or B, depending on the icon displayed.
d. The number of allowable Repeats on the NHS.
e. The prescription Type allowed.
f. The NHS code of the drug.
g. Indicates the following:
h. Current Stock on Hand of the drug.
i. Displays the Robot SOH, if applicable.
j. The Brand Premium.
k. Therapeutic Premium.
l. The Price to the patient.
m. The Safety Net Value.
n. The unit Cost from the stock card.
o. The Manufacturer Code of the drug.
p. The Manufacturer of the drug.
q. The Prescriber type.
r. Press [Alt+N] or [Alt+P] or click Next or Prev to navigate through multiple pages.
s. To search for a different drug press [Alt+f] or click Find.
t. Press [Alt+g] or click Generic to display the Generic Drug Listing refer to Step 10.
u. Highlight a drug and press [Alt+h] or click Hide to if you do not wish to see that brand displayed in the Drug Recall Window.
Note: If a drug that has been hidden is highlighted, Hide will display as Unhide. The [Alt+h] shortcut remains the same.
v. Highlight a drug and press [Alt+v] or click View Streamlined Codes to display the Streamlined Codes window:
w. Check Stocked Only to display only drugs that are marked as stocked.
x. Check Show All to display drugs that have been hidden.
Tip: Right click anywhere on the window to display a legend containing the description of icons and font colour used in the drug recall window.
5. Highlight the required drug and press [Enter] or click Okay,
- To display generic listings for the search results, click Generic or press [Alt + g] to display the Generic Drug Listing window.
a. When selecting a drug, you may see the following icons displayed:
Preferred Generic Drug window is displayed, if a non-preferred brand has been selected. In some cases, this may be automatically substituted, depending on your set preferred generic supplier settings.
Recommended Generic Drug window, this indicates that there is a recommended brand to use; this prompt is set up by product.
Tip: Refer to Set Preferred Generic Suppliers for more information.
b. Click Re-select to list all strengths of the drug.
- Highlight the required drug and press [Enter] or click Okay.
6. In the Directions field enter the directions on the prescription, and press [Tab].
Tip: You can use shortcut Sigs when entering in directions.
If this medication has been previously dispensed, SS (same sig) can be used to recall the directions from the previous dispensing.
If theicon appears active, the selected drug has a default Sig attached. To use this Sig, press [Alt+k] or click
.
Cautionary advice label information displays in the script information field. To add the CAL’s to the label, enter the characters in the brackets.
A preview of the label to be printed with the added directions displayed below:
7. In the Doctor field, enter the doctor’s prescriber number and press [Tab].
a. Minfos creates a four letter code using the first name and surname of the doctor. Numbers will be used when creating a code if there are multiple doctors with a common surname, e.g. Smith.
b. If the prescriber number is not on file, the New Doctor window is displayed. Press [y] or click Yes to add the doctor and fill in the relevant fields on the Prescriber Entry window.
8. The Rx Type will default to the drug type that was selected from the Drug Recall Window. Press the corresponding Rx Type [number] e.g. 1 for an Authority script or click the drop down box and select the required prescription type.
9. The Qty will default to the amount in the Drug Recall Window – allowable on the NHS and can be altered if required.
10. The Repeats will default to the amount in the Drug Recall Window - allowable on the NHS and can be altered if required. If you enter a quantity greater than the NHS allowed, you will be prompted to change the script to an Private or Authority prescription.
11. If this is a repeat prescription enter in the amount of Times Dispensed that this has previously been dispensed and press [Tab]. Leave blank if this is an original prescription, enter [0] if you are dispensing a deferred original script.
12. The Price displayed may be determined by a fixed price, or calculated. To adjust the price enter a new value in the Price field. When the price to customer is not using the standard PBS or private pricing formula, the Price Indicator is displayed.
Note: Click on the Price Indicator to view the Legend.
For further information, see Price Indicator now displays in Dispense
- The price can also be adjusted in the private pricing window by clicking ADJ or pressing [ALT + J].
The Private Pricing window is displayed.
a. The price can be adjusted by selecting a Mark-Up and a Dispensing Fee.
b. Alternatively, a Fixed Price can be entered.
c. If a fixed price is entered selecting Update Drug With Changes will update the price for all customers, for all scripts ongoing. If you do not wish to save this price permanently, go to step d.
d. If a fixed price is entered click OK to use the price of this customers’ script as a once off.
13. Check the Special Price checkbox to retain a special price for an individual customer’s medication. The special price is available for private and under co-payment prescriptions, for prices which are greater or less than the ‘normal’ price to the customer.
Note: Use the Discount dropdown to apply or remove any co-pay discount. If the customer has been opted in or out this cannot be changed without updating the customer’s profile.
14. The GP% field displays the stores current GP% based on the unit cost from the stockcard and the dispensed price.
15. Enter the Pharmacist Initials – the pharmacists profile will need to be set up prior to dispensing. Once you have dispensed a script, the Dispense Form will retain your initials on that work station unless changed by another user.
16. Enter the Dispenser initials, if required.
17. The Form Type will default to one of the following options displayed in the dropdown box, this will be determined by the fields previously entered in the dispense form and should not be adjusted. 
Note: If the form type is incorrect review your previous selections.
18. Last Used will display “Never Used” or the date which the customer was last dispensed this drug.
19. A warning may also be displayed in the information window to indicate that this drug has recently been dispensed in a different strength.
20. If this is an Owing Script, check the checkbox or press [Alt + W].
21. If this is a Deferred Script, check the checkbox or press [Alt + F].
22. Check the CTG checkbox if required.
23. If this is a Regulation 24 prescription check the checkbox or press [Alt + R].
24. The Reg 25 checkbox will be checked if the script is immediate supply necessary.
25. If the medication requires GST to be applied, click the checkbox or press [Alt+/] to apply. When dispensing an OTC item with GST on Sales this field will automatically be checked, when you use ADJ to set the Price to the retail price.
26. If the Brand Specific checkbox is checked, the brand of the drug will be printed on the label first, with the active ingredients in brackets.
Unchecking Brand Specific by clicking the checkbox or using [Alt+B] will display the ingredient first and the brand in brackets on the label.
27. The Therapeutic Premium checkbox will be checked if the medication being dispensed has a therapeutic premium charge
28. Z Dispense Date displays the date the medication is being dispensed.
29. The Information Window is updated when a medication is selected as per the two examples below.
Information displayed may include:
- The CALS for the medication
- The Medication schedule, e.g. S4
- The current SOH
- The current SOH in the robot if applicable (e.g. 5 ROB)
- The Unit Cost Ex GST (e.g. $1.82 UC)
- Max NHS qty and repeats
- Medications Location – if this has been configured to be displayed
30. The Authority field is updated when the script authority number is entered.
31. The RTAC field will be enabled when dispensing an S100 script.
32. In the Hospital field enter the Hospital provider number if you are dispensing a hospital prescription, refer to Dispense a hospital script
33. In the CMP field enter the CMP agency number if applicable, refer to Continuing Medication Program (for homeless people) for more information.
34. Once all the correct information has been entered on the Dispense Form, press [Enter] or click Okay to save and process the prescription.
The Script Options window is displayed.
35. You are now able to scan check the script by scanning the barcode on the dispense label. The Pharmacist Check screen is displayed, refer to Perform a Scan Check for more information.
36. Press the corresponding [number/letter] to the option using the keyboard or highlight with the mouse and click Okay.
37. To continue to dispense another drug for this customer, press S. Same Customer.
- To dispense a drug for another customer press X. New customer
- Or press [Esc] and press [F2] to clear the Dispense Form
Note: In the Surname field:
If you wish to recall the last dispensed customer enter a [ / ] (forward slash).
If you wish to recall the previous to last customer, enter a [ * ] (asterisk).
Enter a [ – ] (dash) to show a list of all PRF linked patients to your last dispensed customer.