How Long Do Pharmacies Take to Get E-Prescriptions?

In an era defined by constant connectivity, we expect instantaneous search results, response times, and product order fulfillment. Medical prescriptions are no exception, with most electronic prescriptions delivered from providers to pharmacies within seconds to a few minutes—assuming the right software systems are in place. There are, of course, several factors that can delay prescription availability, from regulations to insurance issues and simple human error. We’ll explore the most common ones below and how to ensure expedient electronic prescription from input to pharmacy counter.

What Affects Electronic Prescription Delivery?

Electronic prescriptions are transmitted instantly through national networks like Surescripts, which connects healthcare providers and pharmacies nationwide. These electronic scripts are presented directly to the pharmacy system, allowing for immediate access to the prescribed drug. However, electronic prescription processing time may be delayed by manual verification, system issues, prior authorizations, incomplete information, or pharmacy workload, to name a few.

Software Integration

Electronic prescriptions are received in 0-5 minutes if both the med spa and the pharmacy have well-integrated systems with real-time transmission. What do we mean by this? Well, the term “well-integrated system” refers to how well the electronic prescription software connects and communicates with other healthcare systems.

So, high-quality integration affords you the following:

Seamless data flow between the prescribing system (EHR/practice management software) and the pharmacy’s system
Automatic population of patient information, reducing manual data entry
Real-time connectivity with minimal technical glitches
Standardized data formats that don’t require translation or conversion
Direct API connections rather than batch processing

As a real-world example, Vagaro’s real-time e-prescribe feature, which is integrated with the rest of its medspa software, ticks all these boxes. E scripts increase efficiency by streamlining the management of medicines, reducing errors, and ensuring prescriptions are transmitted quickly and securely to partner pharmacies. This eliminates paper delays, errors, omitted information, and the need for manual reentry, while enhancing safety compliance.

Prescription-Based Factors

Certain types of medications require additional steps that can extend delivery times. The complexity and safety requirements of specific prescriptions impact how quickly pharmacies can process them—and med spas do prescribe such medications.

Common med spa prescriptions include compounded weight loss medications, like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy), and tirzepatide. These and other prescriptions, like testosterone, HCG, and topical anesthetics often fall into categories requiring enhanced verification.

Controlled substances - These require additional security protocols and verification steps
Specialty medications - Often need special handling and may go through specialty pharmacies

The refill process for controlled substances and specialty medications may require additional verification steps.

Regulatory/Compliance

As we’ve touched upon, Med spas prescribing hormones and controlled substances face heightened regulatory scrutiny. State medical boards closely monitor hormone therapy and weight loss prescriptions, while DEA oversight applies to testosterone and HCG prescriptions.

When dealing with controlled substances, a manual review is often required to comply with DEA regulations, which increases the risk of delays in processing these prescriptions.

Pharmacy Operations

Business owners and prescribers unfortunately can’t control how well things are run on the other end of the E-Rx equation. After initial receipt by your preferred pharmacy, an e-prescription enters a workflow (queue entry, screening & validation, clinical review, dispensing, etc.). Daily pharmacy operations significantly influence the speed of this workflow.

The following can all affect how quickly prescriptions move through the system:

Pharmacy workload and staffing levels - Higher volumes require more time.
Time of day/peak hours - Busy periods and a high volume of incoming prescriptions create longer wait times.
Inventory availability - Out-of-stock medications require special ordering.
Manual verification requirements - Human review steps for safety and accuracy.
Quality assurance checks - Final review before dispensing can delay things, especially in the case of multiple prescriptions.

Planning in advance can help ensure prescriptions are filled within one business day, especially during busy periods, as most pharmacies process orders on business days and may experience delays during holidays or high demand.

Insurance/Authorization

Insurance-related procedures often create the longest delays in prescription fulfillment. Prior authorization requirements can extend processing from minutes to weeks depending on insurer response times and documentation completeness.

Let’s break down the most common roadblocks:

Prior authorization requirements - Weight loss medications like semaglutide often require lengthy approval times and documented medical necessity
Verification - Most aesthetic treatments (Botox, dermal fillers) aren’t covered, but some wellness prescriptions may have coverage
Step therapy requirements - Companies may require trying conventional weight loss methods before approving GLP-1 medications

Most med spa treatments involve elective medications that insurance rarely covers, though some wellness prescriptions may require authorization. Weight loss medications and hormone therapies can face the most stringent approval when coverage is attempted.

What Can You Do if There's a Delay?

The combination of specialty medications, compounding requirements, limited insurance coverage, and regulatory complexity makes prescription delays significantly more common in med spa settings compared to traditional medical practices prescribing standard retail medications.

Here are some proactive steps to take in the event of such a delay:

1. Direct Pharmacy Communication

Contact the pharmacy directly to check script status and identify specific bottlenecks. Provide additional clinical justification or missing documentation that may be holding up the prescription.

2. Authorization Management

Submit prior authorization requests immediately with comprehensive medical documentation. For uncovered medications, inform patients about cash pricing or alternative covered options to avoid verification delays.

3. Partner With Multiple Pharmacies

Transfer prescriptions to pharmacies with shorter processing times or better specialty capabilities when delays become excessive. Maintain relationships with multiple compounding and specialty pharmacies as backup options.

4. Patient Communication

Inform patients upfront about expected processing times and provide pharmacy contact information for direct follow-up. Give patients detailed prescription information to share with pharmacy staff to expedite things.

If delays persist, encourage patients to seek advice from their healthcare provider. Sometimes, visiting the pharmacy in person or requesting a print copy of the prescription can help resolve issues more quickly.

E Script Technical Holdups

While e-prescriptions typically transmit in seconds, there can also be technical complications during the actual transmission that prevent or delay the electronic sending itself.

Network connectivity issues, integration problems, electronic prescription platform issues and other technical failures can prevent the E-Rx from ever leaving your system.

If this happens, consider the following steps:

1. Verify Status

Check your practice’s internet connectivity and confirm the e-prescribing software is functioning normally. Look for any status alerts, maintenance notifications, or issues with the selected pharmacy’s ability to receive e-prescriptions.

2. Review Prescription Details

Double-check all patient information including name, date of birth, and address for accuracy. Verify the pharmacy selection is correct and ensure all prescription details are complete, especially controlled substance documentation requirements.

3. Retry Transmission

Attempt to resend the e-prescription or try sending it to an alternative pharmacy location. If the issue persists, log out and back into the electronic prescription system or restart the software entirely.

4. Use Backup Communication

Call the pharmacy directly to provide prescription details over the phone or send a written prescription via secure fax. Alternative options include using pharmacy-specific secure messaging portals or providing the patient with a physical written prescription to take to the pharmacy.

(Please note, the information provided here is only intended to help patients and providers access their prescriptions more efficiently.)

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E-prescribing can significantly enhance efficiency and client experience for med spas and similar businesses, which is why they should invest in well-integrated electronic prescription capabilities. Establishing relationships with multiple specialty pharmacies and developing clear protocols for handling delays will enhance these experiences. When technical issues or delays do occur, having established backup procedures ensures that patient care continues without interruption. Again, these happen less with reliance on the right software with E-Rx integrations, like Vagaro’s. Start your 30-day FREE trial and experience what Vagaro’s HIPAA-compliant software can elevate your business.