Randomize Drug Screens

(Topic Last Updated On: 05/05/2010)

The Randomize Drug Screens menu item allows users to schedule random drug screens for a group of patients at once, over any selected date range. Sites use this screen differently depending on policy and procedure. Most commonly this screen is used to schedule either all active patients or a particular counselor's caseload for the upcoming month. Search criteria filters allow users to filter the list of available patients to choose from, including a Drug Screen Group filter for clinics requiring different numbers of monthly drug screens for different patients. This screen can be used to generate all random drug screens, or can be used in conjunction with optional automated scheduling performed by system nightly processes. Furthermore, Methasoft preferences allow clinics to decide whether or not this window will generate patient flags or Random Drug Screen scheduled events. When the Randomize button is pressed, the system will generate the entered number of patient flags or scheduled events for each Selected patient, based on all random drug screen settings selected and each patient's dosing attendance schedule.

Field Descriptions

Counselor

'All' appears selected here by default, indicating all active patients in the clinic are available for adding to the list of selected patients. Selecting a counselor's name will filter the list of available patients to only include patients assigned to the selected counselor's caseload. Caseload assignments are saved in each patient's Patient Profile.

Drug Screen Group

'All' appears selected here by default, but selecting a drug screen group will filter the list of available patients to only include patients assigned to the selected drug screen group. Drug screen group assignments are saved in each patient's Patient Profile.

Phase Level

'All' appears selected here by default, but selecting a phase level will filter the list of available patients to only include patients on the selected phase level. Phase level assignments are saved in each patient's Dosing Information.

Site

Your facility's Home Site is selected in this field by default, and will be the only selection available in this field.

Available (grid)

This grid displays a filtered list of patients available to be selected for random drug screens. This list is filtered by the Search Criteria filters above it. Patients can be selected from this list one at a time for adding, or the entire list can be added by pressing Add All.

Selected (grid)

This grid displays all patients selected for random drug screens. Patients can be selected from this list one at a time for removal, or the entire list can be removed by pressing Remove All.

Drug Screen Start Date

The date selected here defines the beginning date of the date range within the drug screens are being scheduled. Generated random drug screens will not be scheduled for a date prior to this selection.

Drug Screen End Date

The date selected here defines the end date of the date range within the drug screens are being scheduled. Generated random drug screens will not be scheduled for a date after this selection.

Drug Screen Expires In

If this screen is being used to generate patient flags, this number determines how many days after the flag's start date the flag will appear in the system before being deleted automatically by nightly processes. If this screen is being used to generate Random Drug Screen scheduled events, this number determines how many days after the event's start date the flag reminder will continue to appear. If '0' is entered here, the flag message will never expire until deleted by a user, or in the case of a scheduled event, until the event is completed or updated.

Flag Note to Patient(s)

The text entered here will appear as the flag message on the Flag Message screen. In the screen shot above, a substitution variable is being used to schedule Random Drug Screen events. Using substitution variables in scheduled events is optional in Methasoft preferences. Text that appears here by default can be overridden by users as needed, unless prohibited by administrative preference settings.

Number of Flags to Generate

The number entered here determines how many patient flags or random drug screen events to schedule for each selected patient during the selected date range. '1' appears here by default, since most clinics require 1 random drug screen per month per patient. For patients needing more than one drug screen per month, this number can be increased, and the quantity of generated flags or events will increase accordingly.

Severity of Flag Generated

The selection made here will determine the severity of the flags or scheduled event flag messages being generated. The default value here is determined by preference settings, but can be overridden by users as needed unless prohibited by administrative preference settings.

Type of flag to generate

The selection(s) made here will determine where the flags or scheduled event flag messages being generated will appear in the system.

Command Buttons

Add

When a patient is selected in the 'Available' patients grid, pressing this button will move the selected patient to the 'Selected' patients grid.

Add All

When this button is pressed all patients listed in the 'Available' patients grid will be moved to the 'Selected' patients grid.

Remove

When a patient is selected in the 'Selected' patients grid, pressing this button will move the selected patient back to the 'Available' patients grid.

Remove All

When this button is pressed all patients listed in the 'Selected' patients grid will be moved back to the 'Available' patients grid.

Randomize

When this button is pressed the system will generate the entered number of patient flags or scheduled events for each 'Selected' patient, based on all detail information settings and each patient's dosing attendance schedule.

Procedures

How to Randomize Drug Screens
1.) Select 'Search Criteria' as needed in the 'Counselor', 'Drug Screen Group', 'Phase Level', and/or 'Site' fields. Selections made here will filter down the list of patients 'Available' for selection. 2.) Select a patient in the list of 'Available' patients then click on the Add button to add the patient to the list of 'Selected' patients, or click the Add All button to select all available patients. 3.) Select a 'Drug Screen Start Date'. 4.) Select a 'Drug Screen End Date'. 5.) (Optional) If you want the flags or scheduled event flags to expire in more or less than 7 days, enter the 'Drug Screen Expires in ____ Days' as needed. 6.) (Optional) If you want and are allowed to change the 'Flag Note to Patient(s)', edit the text in this field as needed. 7.) (Optional) If you want to generate more than one scheduled event or flag, adjust the 'Number of Flags to Generate' accordingly. 8.) (Optional) If you want and are allowed to override the severity of the flags generated, select a new 'Severity of Flag Generated'. 9.) (Optional) If you want and are allowed to override the type(s) of flags generated, select a new 'Type of flag to Generate'. 9.) Click on the Randomize button. An application message will appear asking if you would like to print Drug Screen Labels for the scheduled drug screens. Click on Yes to print them or No to exit the screen.

Considerations

Patient Attendance Schedule Changes

If a patient's attendance schedule changes after flags or events have been generated, depending on the nature of the change, users will have to edit the generated flag or event in light of the new schedule, or risk that patient missing their scheduled drug screen for that month.

Patients Will Not Appear Available for Selection on the 'Available' Patients Grid Without Dosing Information

If a patient's Dosing Information has not been entered and saved, the patient will not appear available for selection on the 'Available' patients grid. This is because the system must know the patient's attendance schedule before it can generate a Random Drug Screen for the patient.

Scheduling too far in Advance

It is because of the consideration above that it is recommended you don't schedule random drug screen events too far out in the future. It's recommended that you generate for one month at a time, at the end of each month for the upcoming month.

Generating Scheduled Events vs. Flags

Most sites use the scheduled events functionality throughout the system, so will elect to generate Random Drug Screen scheduled events instead of patient flags. Other sites do not use the scheduler's functionality and prefer to generate flags. Be aware that if you are generating scheduled events, the settings for that event in preferences will dictate what info can be overridden and what cannot. Even if this screen allows you to change the text of the flag message, if preferences do not it allow that for this event, then the events generated will retain the original default text.

Drug Screen Labels

Once the Randomize button is pressed on this screen, an application message will appear as shown below:

Pressing Yes will send the labels to your printer designated for drug screen labels. Pressing No will close the message and the Random Drug Screens window.