How many times have you asked “How is this pump entered in inventory?” or “How many concentrators do I have available?” Wouldn’t it be great if you could go to one screen and see all of your serialized inventory and be able to sort and filter for a set of criteria? Well, you can if you use the Equipment Manager.

The Equipment Manager is a feature that allows a user to manage all serialized items from a single location. This feature allows the user to filter by item, inventory category, or status. This feature also allows the user to locate items by Serial Number, Asset Number, Barcode, or Patient assigned to the item. The results are displayed in a grid that can be sorted by clicking on the column header.

Access to the Equipment Manager is from the Inventory menu. One may also gain access to this manager from the Rental Items Reports menu.

What can I see in this grid?

To find a particular item in the list, select the Item dropdown and begin typing. CPR+ will search the list as letters are typed. Once the desired item is located, use the “Apply Filter” function to filter the list for that item.

Use the Category filter in the same manner. The Category filter will search for items assigned to categories in the popup list. Remember to use the “Apply Filter” function to filter the list for items within the selected category. Note that the Item and Category filters are mutually exclusive – one may filter by item, or category, but not both simultaneously.

The Status filter can be used in conjunction with the Item or Category filter. Follow the same procedure to select a particular status. The status filter allows for an easy search of available inventory. As an example, this tool can be used to identify all pumps that are “in stock”. Use the Category filter set to “pumps”, and the status filter set to “available”, click the Apply Filter button and the Equipment Manager will return a list of those items matching the filter.

Finally, in the Filter options, there is a search available for those items that require Preventative Maintenance, or a secondary check. Just enter the appropriate date range and use the Apply Filter button. It is important to note that all of the print functions will honor the filter, or filters applied. This means that you can filter for oxygen concentrators that require maintenance this week and then print the PM Due report from the Print function for only those items, and CPR+ will ignore any other items that may require maintenance in this period.

What can I do with the items in the grid?

The same functions that are available from the Rental Items tab of an Inventory item are available in the Equipment Manager.

Change Status: The Change Status function allows the user to change the status of the highlighted item by simply clicking the button or using the F3 function. Indicate your change date, the new status, and any notes associated with this status change.

Edit / Dispense: The Edit / Dispense function allows the user to view / change serial number-specific information about the item. This includes changing PM / check dates, dispensing the equipment, and logging events for the equipment.

View Rental History: This function is specific to all events logged for the particular serial number that is highlighted. The Rental History includes the date the item was placed in service, all events logged and each patient that has had that serial number assigned.

Create Pickup Ticket: The Create Pickup Ticket function permits the user to create a pickup ticket for an item without requiring the user to open the patient’s clinical menu.

Log Event: The Log Event function allows the user to record a check or maintenance event. Each of these events has free text notes, the ability to record failures, and actions taken to rectify the failures. Each event can have multiple failures and each failure multiple actions.

Search: The Search function allows the user to search by serial number, asset number, barcode, or patient.

Print: The Print function allows the user to print any of the rental reports. These reports will honor the filter(s) selected in the Equipment Manager.

Right Click: The Right Click function allows the user to view rental history, change status, log an event, create a pickup ticket, view the inventory item information, or print a barcode label.

The bottom line…

The Equipment Manager is a one-stop shop for maintaining your equipment inventory. Why not investigate how this tool can maximize your efficiency in equipment maintenance today?

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By Ted McGraner

Did you know that you can gain access to Prescription Forms, Progress Notes, Medication Profile, and Assigned Patient Documents from the Prescription File? “What?” you ask, “those buttons don’t exist, and, yes, I looked for a function key in the F1 Help. That is just not possible.” Yes it is, with the help of your mouse and the right-click button. CPR+ contains many screens with right-click functionality. This article discusses these functions as they relate to the Prescription File.

Select Rx – This function opens the prescription for editing or refilling. It operates in the same manner as the associated button, the enter key, or the double-click.

See Rx History – This function allows you to see a history of dispenses for the highlighted prescription. You can also edit dispense information, void fills, and (if an electronic payor is assigned to the order) create an NCPDP claim from this screen.

* Edit – The edit function allows you to change or correct dispense information. Remember, however, that if you change a quantity here, it will neither update the inventory quantities deducted, nor the cost of goods associated with the fill. To achieve these results, you must void the fill. This function is controlled by the appropriate employee security setting.

* Void Fill – This function permits you to un-dispense, or void a fill. This process gives you the ability to return items used to inventory, or indicate that the items used were wasted or destroyed. The void fill function will also add the dose quantity back to the prescription. After a fill has been voided, you may return to the prescription and refill it with the correct items and quantities. This function is controlled by the appropriate employee security setting.

* Create NCPDP – This function is useful when an NCPDP claim is needed, but was not created at the time of the fill. In order to make this function available, an NCPDP payor must be assigned to the order.

View / Print Prescription Form – This function allows you to print the Prescription Form (hard copy).

Enter / View Progress Notes – This function is a shortcut to the Progress Notes for the patient.

View Medication Profile – This function is a shortcut to the Medication Profile for the patient.

View Assigned Patient Documents – This function launches the Document Management System filtered for the patient. This is useful in reviewing faxed or scanned documentation such as prescriptions, labs, and discharge orders.

DC Rx – This function will permit the user to discontinue the selected prescription. This function is controlled by the appropriate employee security setting.

Delete Rx – This function will permit the user the ability to delete the selected prescription. This function is also controlled by the appropriate employee security setting.

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