Although the NDC and Qty fields are located underneath the charge code, in the same area as charge-level headers, these two fields are not charge-level headers, and they are not configured via Admin > [Institution or User] > Charge Capture > Add/Edit Charge Headers. They are dynamic fields that appear only when the system has charge codes mapped to NDC codes.
Availability of the NDC Selection Feature on Web versus Handheld Platforms
Once configured, the NDC Selection feature is available as follows:- On the web platform, the selection of NDC codes is available.
- On the Android and Apple platforms, the selection of NDC codes is not available. However, mobile users can still enter charge codes that have NDC codes mapped to them. When the charge transactions are submitted to the server and displayed on the portal, they will be assigned a Missing/invalid NDC code or quantity error. In addition, any NDC codes that were selected on charges that were entered on the web application are maintained if a user edits that same transaction on a mobile device.
Using NDC Selection with Other Charge Capture Features
The selection of NDC codes can be used in conjunction with the following features:- Automated Code Entry. Automated Code Entry automatically adds charges, modifiers, and/or diagnoses to charge transactions when the transaction meets specific criteria. There is no user intervention and the codes are added behind the scenes after the user submits the transaction. If a charge code with mapped NDC codes is automatically generated behind the scenes, the transaction is sent to Holding Bin with a “Missing/invalid NDC code or quantity” error, since the user does not have the opportunity to select a drug and NDC code. See Configuring Automated Code Entry.
- Batch Charge Entry. Batch charge entry allows a provider to apply a charge code to a batch of multiple patients. Since the provider only enters the charge code once for the entire batch of patients, and they are not able to specify the individual NDC codes that were used for each patient, the transaction is assigned a “Missing/invalid NDC code or quantity” error. See Configuring Batch Charge Entry.
- Charge Data Master (CDM). When a provider enters a charge code that has NDC codes mapped to it, specifies the appropriate drug and NDC code, and then submits the transaction, the appropriate CDM codes will be retrieved, if the charge code is mapped in the CDM, and if the transaction meets all of the criteria for applying CDM codes. See Implementing a Charge Data Master (CDM).
- Custom Charge Capture Screens. If a Custom Charge Capture Screen automatically generates a charge code that has NDC codes mapped to it, then that charge code, once it is added to the Selected Codes section on the Charge Transaction screen, will show the additional fields for NDC and Qty. The user may then select the appropriate NDC code and quantity before submitting the transaction. See Configuring Custom Charge Capture Screens.
- Hold for Review. Charge transactions that include NDC codes can be held for review. See Configuring the Hold for Review Workflow.
- RVU Management. This feature can be used in conjunction with NDC codes. Both features work in tandem and do not interfere/conflict in any way. See Configuring RVU Management.
- PQRS. When the PQRS feature is implemented, each time a provider submits a charge transaction, it is evaluated to determine if it fits the quality reporting criteria, and if so, the provider is then prompted to answer a series of clinical metrics questions. The usage of a charge code that has NDC codes mapped to it (and the selection of a NDC code during charge entry) does not interfere with this process in any way; the transaction is still evaluated to see if it meets the reporting criteria, and if so, the appropriate quality measure questions are presented to the provider. See Configuring PQRS/MIPS.
Steps for Configuring the Selection of NDC Codes
The steps for configuring the selection of NDC codes are listed in the table below. Each of these steps requires changes to configuration settings that are found on the Admin tab. The basic steps are outlined below:| Step | Where Documented |
|---|---|
| 1. Import your NDC mapping file, to define which charge codes require NDC codes. | Importing/Exporting the NDC Mapping File |
| 2. Configure Institution settings that affect whether or not NDC codes are required, whether free text codes are allowed, and whether leading zeros should be added to free text codes. | Configuring Institution Settings for NDC Collection |
| 3. Configure a User setting that determines whether the user sees an error message when they do not enter NDC codes on charge transactions that require them. | Configuring User Settings for NDC Collection |
Importing/Exporting the NDC Mapping File
In order to allow the selection of NDC codes, you must import a mapping file that contains all of the charge codes that are used at your organization for drug administrations (typically these are HCPCS charge codes). For each charge code, there are one or more rows in the mapping file, indicating each of the drugs and associated NDC codes that can be used for that charge code. You can map more than one drug to each charge code, and you can map a given drug to more than one charge code. After you load the NDC mappings into your system, the NDC and Qty fields start appearing on the Charge Transaction screen for the specific charge codes that are mapped. Once you have a set of NDC mappings loaded into your system, you can then later export them to a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet. The most likely usage of this feature is that you might import an initial set of mappings so that you can test them or use them for a while, export the mappings to a spreadsheet, possibly make some modifications, and then import them back into the same Commure Pro system, or to a different Commure Pro system (such as a test or production environment). See Steps for Importing/Exporting the NDC Mapping File. When exporting the mapping file, the system creates a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that contains one tab labeled “CPTNDCMAPPING.” The content and format of the CPTNDCMAPPING tab in the spreadsheet is described in Format for Importing/Exporting a NDC Mapping File. When importing, your source mapping file must use a comma separated values (.csv extension) format.Steps for Importing/Exporting the NDC Mapping File
Keep in mind that a NDC mapping file maps charge codes to drugs and associated NDC codes, for one or more locations and/or financial groups. When importing a new NDC mapping file into a system that already has mappings in place, you should consider the following:- If a charge code is already mapped in the system, and the new mapping file has one or more rows for that same charge code, some or all of those existing mappings may be overwritten when you import the new file.
- If a charge code is already mapped in the system, and the new mapping file does not have any rows for that charge code, the existing mappings will not be removed when you import the new file. Before performing a new import into a system that already has mappings in place, you may find it helpful to export your current NDC mappings to a file so that you can review them first.
- Export the NDC mappings to a file.
- Clear all of the current NDC mappings from the system.
- Make your changes to the exported NDC mapping file.
- Import the changed NDC mapping file. When making changes to your NDC mappings after initial implementation, you can use the Effective and Expiration dates to discontinue using some drugs, or start using new drugs.
- To discontinue using a particular drug and NDC code for a given charge code, enter an Expiration date for that drug’s row in the mapping file.
- To start using a new drug and NDC code for a given charge code, add a row for the new drug and NDC code, with an Effective date indicating when it should start being used. For example, you might want to stop using a drug on December 31st for a particular charge code, so that you can start using a different drug on January 1st. Prior to making any changes, your NDC mapping file might look like this:
| CPT Code | NDC Code | Proprietary Name | Effective Date | Expiration Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90703 | 54868-0980-00 | FLUZONE HIGH DOSE | 01/01/2014 |
Importing a File Containing your NDC Mappings
To import or export a file containing your NDC mappings, follow the instructions below. When importing the NDC mapping file, some of the individual elements that are defined for each drug must already exist in the Commure Pro system. These include the locations (facility and nursing unit) and financial classes for which each drug is available. As part of the import process, you must also enable the SOLR search feature for the NDC field on the Charge Transaction screen. Once SOLR searching is enabled, the user can search for the drug that was administered by entering a generic drug name, a trade drug name, or an NDC code. For example, if the user types “flu,” the system finds any drugs that are mapped to the selected charge code, that have “flu” in the generic or trade name. Similarly, if they enter a partial NDC code, the system finds any drugs that are mapped to the selected charge code, that have those numerals in the NDC code. The instructions for enabling SOLR searching are included in the import instructions below.- Select the Admin > Institution > Charge Capture > Configure NDC Collection > Manage NDC option. The Manage NDC screen is displayed.
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In NDC File Upload section on the left side of the screen, click the Browse button, search for the file that contains the mapping information, and then select the file.
When importing, the mapping file must use a Comma Separated Values format (with a .csv extension). If you exported your mappings earlier, the system exports them to a spreadsheet that uses an “Excel 97-2003 Workbook” format (with an .xls extension). If necessary, you can edit the exported file using Microsoft Excel®, save it in a .csv format, and then re-import it.
- Click the Import button. The NDC mappings are imported from the file into the Commure Pro system.
- To enable SOLR searching, contact your Commure Pro representative, who must now make some configuration changes prior to the next step. The Commure Pro mobilizer service will have to be restarted as part of this process, which may need to be scheduled with your organization. In the meantime, you can continue with any remaining steps for implementing the selection of NDC codes.
- After your Commure Pro representative has made the configuration changes for SOLR searching, click the Index NDC button, located in the Data Indexing section of this screen. The mappings are indexed, allowing for SOLR searching by generic name, trade name, or NDC code.
Exporting the NDC Mapping File to a Spreadsheet
To export the NDC mapping file that currently exists in your system to a spreadsheet:- Select the Admin > Institution > Charge Capture > Configure NDC Collection > Manage NDC option. The Manage NDC screen is displayed.
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In NDC File Upload section on the left side of the screen, click the Export button.
The mappings are exported to a spreadsheet.
The exported spreadsheet uses the “Excel 97-2003 Workbook” format (with an .xls extension). If you plan to make changes to the file and then re-import it, you must save it in a .csv format prior to importing it.
- Click Save to save the spreadsheet, or Open to open the spreadsheet.
Clearing All of the NDC Mapping Data
To clear (remove) all of the NDC mapping data that is currently stored in the system, follow the steps below.You are not required to clear the NDC mappings before performing an import, however, you may find it easiest to use the procedure outlined in Steps for Importing/Exporting the NDC Mapping File.
- Select the Admin > Institution > Charge Capture > Configure NDC Collection > Manage NDC option. The Manage NDC screen is displayed.
- In the NDC File Upload section, click the Clear CPT-NDC Mapping button. All NDC mapping information is cleared from the database.
Format for Importing/Exporting a NDC Mapping File
If you export your mappings to a spreadsheet, the CPTNDCMAPPING tab contains the list of charge codes that are used at your organization for drug administrations. For each charge code, there are one or more rows in the spreadsheet, for each drug and NDC code that can be used for that charge code. Each row also includes the generic and trade names for each drug, the strength of the drug, the effective and expiration dates for the mapping, the locations where the drug can be used, and the financial classes for which it can be used.An exported mapping file uses the “Excel 97-2003 Workbook” format (with an .xls extension). You can edit the exported file using Microsoft Excel®. If you plan to re-import the mappings after you make your changes, you must save the file in a .csv format prior to importing it.
| Column | Heading | Description | Acceptable Values |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CPT Code | The charge code (typically a HCPCs code). This code must exist in the Commure Pro master list of charge codes. If a code is listed in the import file, but is not in the Commure Pro master list of charge codes, it is automatically added during the import process. | Example: 90703 |
| 2 | NDC Code | The NDC code for a given drug that is associated with the CPT code in column 1. It must use the following format: 5 alpha/numeric digits, 4 alpha/numeric digits, 2 alpha numeric digits, separated by dashes (for example: xxxxx-xxxx-xx). | Example: 5A868-0182-01 |
| 3 | Proprietary Name | The proprietary or trade name for the drug (maximum of 75 characters). | Example: Fluzone |
| 4 | Generic Name | The generic name for the drug (maximum of 75 characters). | Example: Flu Vaccine C |
| 5 | Effective Date | The effective date for this mapping. The drug and NDC code will be available only for service dates on or after this date. If left blank, there are no restrictions on when it can be used. | Example: 07/01/2008 |
| 6 | Expiration Date | The expiration date for this mapping. The drug and NDC code will be available only for service dates on or before this date. If left blank, there are no restrictions on when it can be used. | Example: 12/31/2014 |
| 7 | Strength | The strength number/unit of the drug. | Example: 15 ug/.5mL |
| 8 | Facility | The facilities in which this drug can be used. Each facility must exist in Commure Pro system. If you want this drug to be available for all facilities, leave this blank. | Example: General Hospital |
| 9 | Location | The nursing units in which this drug can be used. Each nursing unit must exist in Commure Pro system, and must be part of the specified facility. If you want this drug to be available for all nursing units in the specified facility, leave this blank. Or, if you did not specify a facility, you must leave this blank. | Examples: OP Clinic A, 2G, 3G |
| 10 | Financial Class | The financial classes for which this drug should be available for use. Each financial class must exist in the Commure Pro system (enter the System Identifier for the financial class in this column). If you want this drug to be available for all financial classes, leave this blank. | Examples: HMO, PPO |
| 11-20 | auxInfo1 through auxInfo10 | Ten additional columns that the client may use to enter any additional information about the drug (maximum of 50 characters). These fields are not used by the Commure Pro application, nor are they visible anywhere in the application. |
Configuring Institution Settings for NDC Collection
When a charge code is mapped to one or more NDC codes (by importing the NDC mapping file; see Importing/Exporting the NDC Mapping File), additional fields for the NDC code and Quantity are displayed on the Charge Transaction screen whenever that charge code is used. When the NDC and Quantity fields are present on the screen, there are several Institution-level settings that affect how the fields behave. Admin - Institution - Charge Capture - Require NDC Collection to Save Charge This setting determines whether the user is required to complete both the NDC and Qty (quantity) fields when they select a charge code that is mapped to one or more NDC codes, in order to save the charge transaction. See also Admin - User - Charge Capture - Display Error Message for Missing NDC Code or Quantity, which determines whether the user will see an error message if they do not complete the NDC fields, and which can override this setting in certain cases.-
Yes: Select Yes to require users to complete the NDC and Qty fields, each time that they enter a charge code that is mapped to one or more NDC codes.
- If a Level 3 user does not complete the NDC and Qty fields, they are not allowed to save the transaction as completed; they may only save it as a draft, or exit without saving. If they save it as a draft, a NDC Errors error status is assigned to the transaction. Please note that Display Error Message for Missing NDC Code or Quantity must also be set to Yes in order to require a Level 3 user to complete both fields.
- If a Level 0/1/2 user does not complete the NDC and Qty fields, they may save the transaction as completed (or exit, or save it as a draft). Again, a NDC Errors error status is assigned to the transaction.
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No: Select No to allow users to leave the NDC and Qty fields blank, when they enter a charge code that is mapped to one or more NDC codes.
- If a user of any level leaves the fields blank, they may save the transaction as a completed transaction. However, a NDC Errors status is assigned to the transaction. Admin - Institution - Charge Capture - Allow Free Text NDC Values This setting determines whether the user may enter a free text NDC code, when they enter a charge code that is mapped to one or more NDC codes.
- Yes: Select Yes to allow the user to enter free text NDC code. When the user enters a free text NDC code, a Free Text error status is assigned to the transaction and it is sent to the Holding Bin if the user is configured to send charges with free text errors to the Holding Bin, via either of the settings below: Admin - User - Charge Capture - Send Transactions with Free Text to Holding Bin
- Yes: Select Yes to automatically add leading zeros to free text NDC codes, when the user does not enter enough digits in each section.
- No: Select No to leave the free text NDC code unchanged.
Configuring User Settings for NDC Collection
When a charge code is mapped to one or more NDC codes (by importing the NDC mapping file; see Importing/Exporting the NDC Mapping File), additional fields for the NDC code and Quantity are displayed on the Charge Transaction screen whenever that charge code is used. The user setting below determines whether the user sees an error message if they do not complete the NDC fields for a charge code that requires it. Admin - User - Charge Capture - Display Error Message for Missing NDC Code or Quantity This setting determines whether this user sees a “Missing/invalid NDC code or quantity” error message if they do not complete both the NDC and Qty (quantity) fields for a charge code that is mapped to one or more NDC codes. For example, you might want the error message to appear for administrators and nurses, but not for physicians. The behavior seen by the end-user is also impacted by the Require NDC Collection to Save Charge setting (see Admin - Institution - Charge Capture - Require NDC Collection to Save Charge).- Yes: Select Yes if you want the user to see an error message if they do not complete the NDC and Qty fields.
- If the Require NDC Collection to Save Charge setting is also set to Yes, a Level 3 user will see the “Missing/invalid NDC code or quantity” error message, and will be unable to save the charge as a completed transaction; they may only save it as a draft, or exit without saving. A Level 0/1/2 user will see the error message, but may override it and save the transaction as completed.
- If the Require NDC Collection to Save Charge setting is set to No, a Level 0/1/2/3 user will see the “Missing/invalid NDC code or quantity” error message, but will be able to override it and save the charge as a completed transaction. In all cases, the charge transaction is still assigned a NDC Errors status. In addition, on various charge reports that show an Error Type filter, an “Invalid NDC” option will be available, allowing users to find charges with the NDC Errors status.
- No: Select No if you do not want the user to see an error message if they do not complete the NDC and Qty fields.
- Regardless of how the Require NDC Collection to Save Charge setting is set (whether Yes or No), a Level 0/1/2/3 user will not see the error message, and may save the transaction as completed. On various charge reports that show an Error Type filter, the “Invalid NDC” option will not be available for the user. However, the charge transaction is still assigned a NDC Errors error status behind the scenes and the error status and filter will be visible to users who have this preference set to Yes.