Counter Guide
Drafting patient updates
Patient updates are short, plain-language messages that tell the patient what is happening and what — if anything — they need to do. Refillops helps draft them; the pharmacy team reviews and sends.
When to use this
- A refill will be delayed past the patient’s expected pickup time.
- A PA is pending and the patient should know the realistic timeline.
- A prescriber response is needed and the patient can help (e.g., calling the office).
Step by step
- 1
Write in plain language
Use short sentences. State what is happening, why, and what the patient should do. Avoid jargon like ‘adjudication’, ‘NDC’, or ‘prior auth’ unless the patient already used the term.
- 2
Avoid blaming language
Do not blame the prescriber, the payer, or the patient. Describe the status, not the fault. ‘We are still waiting on a response from your insurance’ is better than ‘Your insurance is refusing to approve this’.
- 3
Match the channel
SMS — under 320 characters, no PHI beyond first name. Email — a few short paragraphs is fine. Phone script — write what the technician will say out loud, including a check-back option if the patient is not available.
- 4
Mark sent or called
After the update goes out, mark it Sent (SMS/email) or Called (phone) with the time and the team member. This stops the same update going out twice.
- 5
Schedule a reminder
If the situation needs another touch (e.g., ‘call back Friday if no payer response’), set a reminder on the issue so it surfaces in the queue on the right day.
Common mistakes
- Sending the AI-drafted message verbatim without checking the patient name and the medication wording.
- Putting full medication names and dosages in SMS bodies.
- Marking ‘Sent’ before the message actually went out.
Safety & trust
Every patient update draft must be reviewed by a pharmacy team member before it is sent. Refillops never sends patient messages automatically.
Still need help?
Contact Refillops support and we’ll get back to you.