Terms
Adjudication
The process by which a prescription is submitted electronically to a third-party payer for the pharmacy to be reimbursed for the medication dispensed.
Chain Pharmacy
A corporate-owned group of pharmacies that share a brand name and central management and usually have standardized business methods and practices.
e-Prescribing
The computer-to-computer transfer of prescription data among pharmacies, prescribers, auto-refill systems, and insurance companies.
NDC
A unique 10- or 11-digit number, composed of three segments, that is assigned to a medication.
Prescription
An order for medication issued by a physician, dentist, or other properly licensed practitioner.
Aphasia
A communication disorder that results from damage or injury to the language parts of the brain; it is more common in older adults, particularly those who have had a stroke.
A numerical set of codes, created by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), that is used when filling prescriptions; they can affect reimbursement amounts from insurance companies.
Federal Legend
A statement required on the labeling of all prescription medications: "Federal law prohibits dispensing without a prescription".
National Provider
A unique 10-digit identification number for covered health care.
Proprietary (brand or trade) name
A brand name or trademark under which a drug product is marketed.
Auxiliary label
A label that provides supplementary information about proper and safe administration, use, or storage of a medication.
DEA Number
An alphanumeric number consisting of two letters and seven numbers that is assigned to prescribers authorized by the US Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe controlled substances.
Franchise
A form of business organization in which a firm that already has a successful product or service enters into a continuing contractual relationship with other businesses operating under the trade name.
NPI
providers that is issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Permission by a prescriber to replenish a prescription.
BIN
A six-digit number on a prescription drug card that is used for routing and identification to process a prescription claim.
DUE
(Formerly known as drug utilization review) An authorized, structured ongoing review of health care provider prescribing, pharmacist dispensing, and patient use of medication.
Help Desk
A toll-free hotline to an insurance company, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that pharmacists can call in specific questions about insurance claims.
Nonproprietary (generic) name
A short name coined for a drug or chemical that is not subject to proprietary rights and is recommended or recognized by an official body.
Repackage
To reduce the amount of medication taken from a bulk bottle.
BTC
Medications kept behind the pharmacy counter that require a pharmacist's intervention before dispensing to a patient; BTC medications are not considered prescription medications.
Dysarthria
A speech deficiency that interferes with the normal control of the speech mechanism.
Inscription
The name, dosage form, strength, and quantity of the medication prescribed.
OTC
A medication that does not require a physician's order or prescription for the patient to purchase.
Signatura (signa or sig)
The directions on a prescription that explain how the patient is to take the prescribed medication; a Latin expression meaning to "write on label".