Emergency Response Action Plans

Access to accurate directory information is key to ensuring continuity of patient care in areas impacted by emergency events or natural disasters. Surescripts encourages our pharmacies, pharmacy technology vendors and health technology vendors to keep their store and practice office closures current by following the steps below.

Pharmacy Technology Vendors / Pharmacies

  • Update pharmacy records by 7:00 PM ET for inclusion in the pharmacy file downloaded by health technology vendor applications.
  • Ensure the prescriber export file is downloaded each day by 7:00 AM ET and made available promptly to pharmacy systems.
  • Notify pharmacists that electronic responses to Refill Renewal Requests may be delayed while providers are offline or displaced.
  • Ensure that your own website(s) are up to date, so patients/providers have access to current location information when seeking treatment.

Actions to take when pharmacy operations are altered

Scenario

Reason

Actions

A pharmacy’s operations have been impacted, but prescriptions are still being processed.

Informs prescribers of a change that may impact their pharmacy selection. Example: pharmacy has temporarily altered their hours of operation.

  • Change “Operating Status” from ‘Normal’ to ‘Informational’ with a descriptive note.
  • Append the end of your Store Name with information: e.g., “Hours Changed”, “Drive-up only”
  • Update “Hours of Operation”

A pharmacy is temporarily not processing prescriptions but should be visible in the Surescripts Directory.

Informs prescribers that they should not send prescriptions to a pharmacy.

  • Append “Closed” to the pharmacy name.
  • Change "Operating Status” from ‘Normal’ to ‘Alert’ with a descriptive note.
  • Update “Hours of Operation”

A pharmacy is no longer processing prescriptions and should not be included in the Surescripts Directory.

Removes the pharmacy from vendor systems.

Update or disable the pharmacy record

  • Remove all service levels.
  • Set Active End Date to current day.
  • Update “Hours of Operation"

 

How to update records

  • Use Directory Manager. Log in to Workbench at https://sso.surescripts.net/account/login and click on Directory Manager to search for and edit your pharmacies. 
  • Use the Directory Messaging API, if implemented.
  • Submit a case containing a list of pharmacies and updates to Surescripts Customer Support (support@surescripts.com).

EHRs Vendors / Health Systems

  • Consider implementing support for Directories “Pharmacy Finder” to obtain real-time hours of operation, operating status, and status notes. Reach out to your account manager for additional information.
  • Update prescriber records by 7:00 PM ET for inclusion in the prescriber file downloaded by pharmacies and pharmacy system applications. 
  • Ensure the pharmacy export file is downloaded each day by 7:00 AM ET and made available promptly to prescribers. 
  • Inform your prescribers that they may need to select an alternative pharmacy if:
    • A pharmacy is consistently sending the same error message.
    • A pharmacy’s name in the Surescripts Directory contains “Closed”, “Temporarily Closed”, or “Permanently Closed”. 
    • A pharmacy’s “Hours of Operation” have changed. 
    • A pharmacy’s “Operating Status” is “Informational” or “Alert”. 
  • If a provider is offline
    • Have a process for responding to prescription requests (e.g., Refill Renewal Requests, Change Requests) for a prescriber while they are unavailable.
  • If a coverage/triage option isn’t available, disable the prescriber’s ability to e-prescribe by
    • Removing E-Prescribing Service Levels
    • Setting Active End Date to the current day

How to update records

  • Use Directory Manager. Log in to Workbench at https://sso.surescripts.net/account/login and click on Directory Manager to search for and edit your prescriber records.
  • Use the Directory Messaging API, if implemented. 
  • Submit a case containing a list of prescribers and their impacted practice addresses to Surescripts Customer Support (support@surescripts.com).