Beginners' Guide to Toniq Dispensary

Starting Toniq Dispensary:

Search the Windows Desktop or Start menu to find the program icon for CS Dispensary:

Main Menu Function Keys:

• ESC - From the main menu ESC reminds the user to do a backup before closing the program. Elsewhere in Toniq it works as an escape key, i.e. makes the program go back one step, screen, or menu level without saving.
• F1 Help   - Displays information about functionality and options available on the current screen.
• WIN - Takes the user to Windows by minimizing the Toniq program to the taskbar (at the bottom of the screen). To return to the Dispensary program, click on the icon on the task bar.
• F2 Staff - Changes the staff member who is logged on. Assigns the operator's initials (e.g. technician, pharmacist, etc.) to actions taken for use in reporting.
• F3 Toniq Library - A searchable knowledge base of selected topics and help guides. All articles are categorised so you can learn about a specific topic or area.
• F5 Help Desk - Allows Toniq support staff to gain remote access to your PC. It is initiated by the user to a specific staff member and should only be used after arranging the connection with Toniq.
• F7 LTC Manager - Reports on LTC patients: when they are due (or overdue) for review, when their last dispensing or diary entry was, and whether the EAR update was successful.
• F8 1CHART - Enables staff with a 1CHART login to access the 1CHART Dashboard, Patient list, and Notifications.
• F9 Diary Tasks - Allows the user to create tasks and assign them to staff, workgroup, or workstation. Reminders and recurrences can be set on tasks.
• F10 About - Information panel containing Toniq’s contact details, name of server PC & current PC, program version, and when updates were done.

Note: Refer to the green help line at the bottom of the screen for further information about each field and what needs to be entered as you move through the program.

Main menu options:

• 1. Prescriptions   - The prescription entry screen is where all script processing is done, including edits, deletion of scripts, and reprints of labels, receipts, and CRCs. It is possible to divert to other areas of Dispensary, such as the patient details screen, medicine file or dosepack screen, from the prescription entry screen.
• 2. Stock Control - Where stock related activities are done, such as where new orders are created, the medicine file is searched or amended, and owes issued in bulk.
• 3. Reports - Access to various types of reports, including the Dispensary Summary report, as well as prescription, diary, and stock reports.
• 4. Electronic Claiming - Where electronic claims are created to send to the Ministry of Health. (Do the Check phone/fax/refer Rxs report from here before creating the claim.) Other claim reports and contract details are also available under this option.
• 5. Dosepacks / Charts - Create and edit dosepack types, do script cycle processing, maintain institutions, dispense, and print dosepacks from this option.
• 6. Contact - Repeat reminders and other ways to contact patients, prescribers, and staff by text or email.
• 7. Administration - Accesses various setup pages (e.g. for printers), general options, downloads, maintain staff, and other utilities.
• 8. Backup - Where fixed and removable backups are carried out.
• 9. Other - Reports can be run for patients, medicines, or prescribers by numerous criteria and actions can be taken in bulk to the resulting list. Where templates can be created and edited. Also, where non-dispensary staff can see patients' repeats available (if the patient has granted consent).

Prescription Entry:

From the main menu, select 1. Prescriptions and follow these steps to enter a new prescription:

1. Enter Patient
2. Select Rx code
3. Enter Prescriber
4. Select Medicine
5. Enter Quantity
6. Enter Repeats (optional)
7. Add Directions
8. Add Rx Notes (optional)
9. Finishing the Rx

1. Enter Patient name

Enter the patient’s name or Rx number in the yellow box and press <Enter>:

Note: the NZePS barcode (aka SCID) is also scanned / entered here.

• Rx numbers:
  • 123456 – finds the original Rx on the patient history grid
  • 123456/2 – finds the Rx matching the number, in this example the first repeat (123456/3 would be the second repeat)
• Patient names:
  • Smith – displays all patients with the last name of Smith
  • J Smith – displays all Smiths with the first name starting with J
  • Smith,J – displays all Smiths with the first name starting with J
  • Mr Smith – displays all Smiths (i.e. ignores the honorific)
  • ,John – displays all patients with the first name John
  • ,,10 Regent – displays all names with address beginning 10 Regent
  • HUX866 – finds the patient/s whose NHI starts with HUX866, or returns No matching NHI
  • For a new patient press F3 New patient when the search box is displayed (see below)

New / Edit patient:

• Address - The patient address will display in red if address has not been validated. Using F7 Lookup Address to validate the address details will change the field name text to black. NB: Escaping from the address validation screen assumes that you do not wish to validate the address and will therefore change the field names to black.
• NHI - Only correctly formatted NHIs are accepted. The general format of an NHI number is: XXXNNNN, where the Xs are letters and N are numbers (I and O are not used). Validate the NHI via the MoH NHI Lookup Service by using F3 NHI/PSC Lookup, then search by either name and date of birth, or by NHI.
• Ethnicity - May be of use for pharmacies doing Medication Use Review for patients.
• Warning Notes - Can only be seen in Dispensary (NB: Notes can be seen in Retail). May be useful for safety or administrative double checks.
• Card Details - Enter where applicable. CS: Community Service card; HU/C+: High Use Health card; Exempt (Prescription Subsidy Card number): a family who has had 20 or more prescriptions from 1st February this last year. (Tick External for a card issued at another pharmacy.).
• F9 Family – Options to join patients together as a ‘family’ in order to gain an exemption card.
• F12 Accept Details - Saves the newly created patient details.

2. Enter Rx Code

Enter Rx Code in the yellow box and press <Enter>:

• Use script codes as per the Pharmacy Procedures Manual, e.g. A4, J3, Y1, Z3, H4, O, X4, or: 
  • PS – for an MPSO (medical practitioner's supply order)
  • BS – for a BSO (bulk supply order)
  • NS – for non-subsidised items e.g. patient requested items (no Rx), or overseas visitors
• Displayed on the right panel:
  • RxF – the family’s Rx count towards exemption since February this year
  • Rx – the patient’s Rx count towards exemption since February this year
  • Note: the number in brackets is last year's total exemption count.

3. Enter Prescriber

Enter the Prescriber name or number in the yellow box and press <Enter>:

• A prescriber is the authoriser of the medicine. It is usually a doctor but might be a pharmacist, dentist, midwife, or other valid prescriber.
• From this field you can use F5 Use History to enter the patient History Grid to issue repeats, owes, do reprints, and to view/edit any of the patients’ scripts.
• For a new prescriber, press F3 New Rx’er from the search box (see below)

New / Edit Prescriber:

• Use F10 Other > I Lookup prescriber on Internet to search online for the doctor by last name, first name, or registration number.
  • Registration
    This will populate if Lookup prescriber on Internet is used. Otherwise it should be entered (NB: it can be alphanumeric e.g. d1234).
  • Professional group
    Press the spacebar to select option to select the prescriber’s registration body or role.

4. Select Medicine

Enter Medicine by name or pharmacode, or scan its barcode, in the field and press <Enter>:

• Medicine names:
  • aug,t – will find all medicines starting with aug with a form beginning with t
  • aug,5 – will find all medicines starting with aug with a strength beginning 5
  • Note: generic names show in lower case, brand (trade) names are in upper case – press F8 Flip Med to change between them.

5. Enter Quantity

Enter Quantity in the yellow box and press <Enter>:

• Quantities may be entered units or packs; P or 1p is one pack. Pack size is displayed on right hand side of the screen, level with Quantity. Other information, such as price (ws standard wholesale price; ps Pharmac subsidy price; pp manufacturers premium) and manufacturer, is also displayed there.
• Press F3 Owe to indicate how much of the quantity prescribed is owing.

6. Enter Repeats (Optional)

Enter Repeats in the yellow box and press <Enter>:

• If the rx has no repeats, pressing <Enter> past the field will zero the repeats.
• The number of days the repeats are valid for, will be added automatically (usually 90 days); this sets the repeat expiry date. Certain drugs, such contraceptives or controlled drugs, will default to a different number of days. If required a date may be entered in day/month format, e.g. 23/07, instead of number of days.

7. Add Directions

Enter Directions, utilising sigs or short codes if available, in the yellow box and press <Enter>:

• If there are warnings (shown in red) or instructions (in black) shown above the label, typing / in the directions will expand all the available instructions onto the label. Specify individual instructions/C&As by using the / followed by the appropriate alpha-numeric e.g.: /b, /11.
• Note: Sigs are different at all pharmacies and can be maintained from the menu option 7. Administration > 1. Setup > 1. Shortcuts setup > 1. Maintain sigs. Commonly used sigs are:

AC = before food	BD = twice daily	D = daily
Mane = morning	Nocte = night	O = orally
PC = after food	PRN = as needed	QID = 6 hourly
QQH = every four hours	Stat = at once / immediately	TDS = 3 x daily

• Enter @30 to put the date in 30 days’ time on the label (e.g.: Use by @30).
• Use F5 Top Line (or ~) to put any warnings above the medicine name on the label.

8. Add Rx Notes (Optional)

Enter Rx Notes in the yellow box and press <Enter>:

• Will show on the patient's history grid in the bottom right corner.

9. Finishing the Rx

• F9 Vary Repeat – sets up varying quantities (e.g. decreasing or increasing doses) and/or directions for the repeats, if required. The quantity and directions can be changed on each repeat separately or on a rotating pattern.
• F10 Other, Hold script - used to place the script on hold for dispensing at a later date.
• F12 Accept Rx– will dispense the script and give label, receipt, and other options, such as:
  • F4 No Label – prevents labels for that item from printing
  • F6 Multi Label – prints the specified number of labels required, e.g. for multi-packs
  • F8 Bag Option – options for collect or deliver bag labels and whether the price prints on the bag label
  • F11 End Visit – completes dispensing for that patient and does remaining printouts, e.g. labels, CRC, receipt, telephone rx, etc.
  • F12 Next Item – Toniq remains with the same patient so their next script item can be dispensed

Edit / Reprint / Repeat Prescriptions:

• Enter Patient / Rx number (as detailed above), then F5 Use History. This display’s the patient history grid.
• All dispensings of a medicine are represented on the same row of the history grid. Use the mouse or arrow keys to move around the grid, highlighting the dispensing in blue. The details of the dispensing are on the grey bars at the bottom of the screen.
  • Red square dots to the right of the quantity indicate undispersed repeats
  • Grey square dots indicate expired or inactive repeats
  • Underlined quantities indicate dispensed repeats
  • Blue quantity indicates an accumulated total (more than one dispensing on that day)
  • A green quantity in the Owe / Status column indicates an outstanding owe for that medicine
  • Green highlighted items are in, or with, a dosepack (depending whether the highlight is a dark or light green)
  • H indicates a held script (green dot indicating able to be dispensed, grey dot indicating expired)
• When on a medicine on the history grid, options available include:

• F2 View / Edit – Press to view or edit a script (press F2 once to view; F2 again to edit).
• F3 Owe Supply – To supply an owe, go to the medicine line displaying the owe in green, press the function key (the highlighting will turn green).
• F4 Repeat all – Highlights all grid items with repeats in red. The number of repeats selected is shown above the medicine form column.
• F5 Repeat – Grid items with red dots can be issued. Click on (or arrow to) to the dispensing and press the F5 function key. The selection changes to red.
• F8 Re-print – Gives the options to reprint CRCs, telephone rxs, insurance receipts, labels, prescription copies, and supply orders, amongst others. Select the dispensing to reprint, Press F8 Re-print, choose the type of reprint required (e.g. Label), the function key now changes to represent the reprint selected. Press it again and the grid item changes colour to grey. Press F11 Accept to finalise the reprint.
• F9 Unhold – Dispense a held script.

• When all the actions required have been taken on the history grid:
  • F12 Accept – will process the repeat / owe / held item.