# Clinic Medications (Overview)

Clinic Medications enables a CPRS user to order unit-dose medications that are dispensed by inpatient pharmacy and administered to a patient in a clinic setting, as well as nursing text orders. Clinic Orders also use VistA order checks.

On the Orders tab, CPRS displays these medications and Nursing text orders under a new display group named Clinic Medications. To show under the Clinic Medications display group, Nursing text orders must be written from a clinic location. If they are not ordered from a clinic location, the Nursing text orders will display under the Nursing display group. This includes text orders that are part of an order set.

Note: If Clinic Nursing orders do not display where expected, they may not be set up properly. IRM or CAC personnel should check the CPRS Technical Manual: GUI Version for more information.

This example shows the Order tab with a unit dose and nursing text order--that appear under the Clinic Medications display group.

On the Meds tab, Clinic medication orders of all statuses except unreleased orders display at the top of the Inpatient Medications pane before other inpatient medications orders. Nursing text orders do not display on the Meds tab. User can distinguish Clinic orders because they have an entry in the Location column of the Meds tab display.

Note: Clinic Medication orders are affected by both CPRS auto-DC rules and Inpatient Medications rules for auto-discontinuing orders on admission and discharge. If sites do not want Clinic orders to auto-discontinue on admission and discharge, sites will have to ensure that neither CPRS nor Inpatient Medications discontinues Clinic orders. Inpatient Medications uses the AUTO-DC IMO ORDERS parameter to exclude Clinic orders from being discontinued.

Criteria for Ordering Clinic Medications

To successfully write an Clinic order, the encounter must be in a clinic location.

Note: To create a new visit, select the Provider/Encounter button (shown below), select the Visit tab, select New, and then select OK.

In addition, before you can use the Meds tab to place Clinic orders, your site's CAC (or the person who manages information resources at your site) must set up the new medication order dialog to include inpatient medications.

Related Topics

Ordering Simple Clinic Medications

Ordering Complex Clinic Medications

Sorting the Medications View

Changing or Copying Clinic Orders