Beginning April 20, if a patient’s pharmacy benefits determine that a medication needs prior authorization, eStar will automatically send an electronic prior authorization request (ePA). This will affect prescribers, nurses, and pharmacists.
The ePA will be sent once a patient’s pharmacy benefits plan is selected in Verify Rx Benefits at the beginning of an encounter. Users may see a pop-up box displaying potential alternatives or stating a PA is required. Communication between staff and Pharmacy Benefit Managers will be completed within In Basket.
Users should ensure primary coverage has been selected in Verify Rx Benefits. PA messages are sent to the same In Basket pool as Rx Refill Requests. The formulary information displayed when selecting a medication is plan-specific, not patient-specific. At signing, Epic will try to obtain patient-specific information through real-time prescribing benefit price estimates.
For more details, please refer to Quick Start Guide “Using Electronic Prior Authorization (ePA).”
