In Instinct EMR and ITP, capturing oral medication charges on a per-treatment basis frequently results in missed charges, inaccurate inventory counts, and difficult client conversations. The best way to prevent this is to fill prescriptions in advance and build administration costs into hospitalization charges rather than billing them as separate line items.
Fill prescriptions before scheduling treatments
For inpatient medications, fill prescriptions before treatments are scheduled rather than removing medications from the shelf on a treatment-by-treatment basis. Estimate the length of hospitalization and the amount of medication needed for the stay, then capture the full cost—including the dispensing fee—through the prescription.
This approach:
Keeps inventory counts accurate so your inventory team knows when to reorder
Prevents missed charges from medications pulled off the shelf without logging
Reduces itemized per-pill line items on the invoice that clients may question
Tip: Estimating total medication need at admission—rather than logging each dose separately—also makes it easier to provide clients with an accurate estimate before hospitalization begins.
Build administration fees into hospitalization charges
Instinct recommends against charging a separate administration fee for administering oral medications. Because most inpatients will receive medications during their stay, the administration cost is best captured by incorporating it into the practice's hospitalization-level pricing.
This eliminates a line item that clients may question and removes the risk of staff forgetting to add a separate administration fee to the invoice.
Handle owner-provided medications
For owner-provided medications (medications a client brings from home), do not charge a separate administration fee. Instead, incorporate the cost of administering owner medications into your hospitalization-level pricing, just as you handle other inpatient medications.
In Instinct, owner-provided medications are typically labeled with OM at the beginning of the medication name to indicate no charge is associated with the product.
Frequently asked questions
What if a patient is discharged earlier than expected and we overestimated the medication needed?
If the prescription was filled for more medication than used, adjust the quantity at the time of discharge. Contact your Instinct support team for guidance on handling prescription adjustments in your workflow.
Why not charge per pill on the invoice?
Per-pill charges are easy for clients to question, especially if the dispensing fee appears as a separate line item. Rolling medication and dispensing costs into a single prescription charge—or into hospitalization pricing—results in a cleaner invoice and fewer difficult conversations.
Still need help?
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