Protocol Rx Wins Maine Board of Pharmacy Support

The Maine Board of Pharmacy determines Protocol Rx is in the Public’s interest.

MAINE, March 3, 2011 — Refill Management Systems (RMS), provider of a software solution that manages the medication refill process, attended a recent public meeting of the Maine Board of Pharmacy. Their purpose – to find out whether licensure rules prohibited pharmacists from issuing medication renewals based on a physician’s standing order. The Board determined that there are no such rules. This paves the way for RMS to work with Maine organizations to integrate Protocol Rx into their workflow.

Protocol Rx automates and enhances management of the medication refill process by collecting clinical data, such as blood tests, office visit and blood pressure readings from a patient’s electronic medical records. The data is then compared in real time with a customizable refill protocol and immediately provides recommendations to the user, such as additional testing needs, office follow-ups, and allowable number of refill days. The solution is designed to facilitate medication renewals by a pharmacist based on patient-specific, standing orders from a physician.

In his presentation to the Board, Dr. J. Scott Patch, president of RMS, outlined how Protocol Rx is used to provide pharmacists with the necessary information and physician recommendations to carry out a standing order. The Board eagerly supported Patch’s presentation, recognizing the potential for significant improvement in communication between physician and pharmacist. Citing the benefits to patients, pharmacists, and medical practices, the Board determined that this concept is “certainly in the Public’s interest.”

Given the Board’s conclusions, RMS is now cleared to work with pharmacies and practices in Maine to incorporate Protocol Rx into their communication workflow. Patch says that the project “will greatly improve patient care and efficiency in managing prescriptions.”

About Refill Management Systems

Refill Management Systems, LLC, was founded in 2009 to address the significant burden that medical practices face in managing prescription refills. The founding partners, some of whom are practicing physicians, have eight years of experience designing EMR workflows and refill protocols, as well as ten years of experience with software development. For more information, please visit www.refillmanagementsystems.com.

About Maine Board of Pharmacy

The Maine Board of Pharmacy is made up of seven certified members and regulates pharmacists and pharmacies in Maine. The Board also examines and licenses pharmacists and pharmacist assistants, and controls and regulates the sales of drugs and poisons. For more information, please visit www.maine.gov.