4/19/2024 2:04:37 PM	PHARM 152 Course Outline as of Fall 2010	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  PHARM 152	Title:  AMBULATORY PRACTICE
Full Title:  Ambulatory Pharmacy Practice
Last Reviewed:12/12/2023

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	2.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	2.00	Lab Scheduled	0		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	2.00			Contact Total	35.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 105.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

An overview of the skills needed to operate effectively in an ambulatory setting, with emphasis on receiving and controlling inventory, processing prescriptions using computerized prescription processing, medical insurance billing, and customer relations.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion or Current Enrollment in PHARM 150

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

An overview of the skills needed to operate effectively in an ambulatory setting, with emphasis on receiving and controlling inventory, processing prescriptions using computerized prescription processing, medical insurance billing, and customer relations.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion or Current Enrollment in PHARM 150
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Evaluate purchase invoices and assess them for error.

2. Utilize electronic systems to confirm Third Party coverage for a prescription.

3. Verify Third Party claim forms for a prescription by phone when necessary. Complete Third Party claim forms. Properly record the payment for pharmaceuticals.

4. Create patient profiles utilizing information obtained from the  prescription and the patient.

Topics and Scope

I. Prescription pricing in the retail setting

   A. Medication cost

   B. Professional/dispensing fee

   C. Mark-up

   D. Percent Mark-up

   E. Overhead

   F. Turnover

   G. Depreciation

II. Understanding the National Drug Code

III. Purchase orders and the invoices for pharmaceuticals, devices, and supplies

   A. Procedures for purchasing

   B. The "Want Book," shelf stickers and product list

   C. Suppliers

   D. Receiving goods and verifying specifications

   E. Maintenance of inventory

   F. Lab Activities

      1. Preparing purchase orders and invoices

      2. Receiving and handling procedures

      3. Stocking goods

IV. Discounts

   A. Cash discounts

   B. Trade discounts

V. Returns, Policies and procedures for outdates, recalls, damaged goods

   A. Adulterated drugs and devices

   B. Misbranded drugs and devices

VI. Materials Safety Data Sheets

VII. Transfer of Schedule II Controlled Substances among registrants

   A. Registrants

   B. Drug Enforcement Agency Form 222 - execution and record keeping

VIII. Transfer of Schedule III, IV, and V Controlled Substances

IX. Lab Activities

   A. Record keeping for Controlled Substances and prescription filing methods

   B. Maintaining Controlled Substances records

   C. Prescription filing

X. Patient Information and Patient Package Inserts

XI. Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990

XII. Special procedures and documentation for investigational drugs

XIII. Third party billing

   A. Definitions and terminology

   B. Information required for third party billing

   C. Cost control methods

      1. Brand vs. generic

      2. Dispense-as-written codes

      3. Quantity limits

      4. Refill intervals

      5. Age restrictions

      6. Dollar amounts

      7. Formulary vs. non-formulary

      8. Point of sale

   D. Third Party payers

      1. Blue Cross-Blue Shield

      2. Other common providers

      3. Co-pay procedures and record keeping

      4. Handling rejects

      5. Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services/Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Veterans Administration

      6. Workman's Compensation

      7. MediCAL

         a) Coverage - eligibility

         b) Lab: Third Party insurance claims and forms. Formulary usage. Recording sales. Treatment Authorization Requests.

          c) Charge-back and reject summary reports and patient profiles.

XIV. Computerized dispensing software

   A. General computer functions

   B. Computer codes unique to pharmacy

   C. Enter and retrieve data

   D. Verifying Third Party coverage

   E. Lab Activities: Utilize pharmacy computer database system to enter and retrieve accurate data, generate labels and patient information

XV. Technician functions in assisting pharmacist in improving pharmaceutical care

   A. Customer services

   B. Ethics

   C. Communicating clearly orally and in writing

   D. Compassion

   E. Confidentiality

   F. Dependability

   G. Problem-solving

   H. Role-playing with customer service and problem solving

Assignments:

1. Practice customer communication skills utilizing handouts for:

       a. sales

       b. sample purchase orders

       c. private medical, state, and federal medical billing forms

       d. third party claim forms

2. Ten pages of reading per week.

3. Answer questions at the end of each chapter on calculating the charge for prescriptions based on cost of drug and professional fee.

4. Learn 10-20 brand/generic drug names and their usage per week.

5. Create patient profiles.

6. Weekly quizzes, 2 midterms, final exam.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 30 - 40%
Written homework, patient profiles
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 30 - 40%
Customer communication skills
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 40%
Multiple choice
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

The Pharmacy Technician, 3rd ed. Morton Publishing, 2007.

Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses, 2008, 11th ed., F.A. Davis Company,  Philadelphia, PA

Print PDF