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title: Linking

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# Linking 

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## WHAT is Linking?

Linking is the process that matches therapeutically equivalent drugs into family groups and identifies a parent for each group.

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* The family groups are also known as `Links` and the parent drug is known as `Preferred Product`.

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* Brand vs Generic drugs 
    * Tylenol (Brand) <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->
    * Acetaminophen (Generic) <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="2" -->

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* Each drug is uniquely identified by NDC and grouped by GPI

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What is GPI? 

> The Generic Product Identifier (GPI) is a 14-character code which represents medication regardless of manufacturer or pack size. <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->

![](https://i.imgur.com/6Wm2v2l.png) <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="2" -->


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What is NDC?

> The NDC, or National Drug Code, is a unique 10-digit or 11-digit, 3-segment number which represents the manufacturer, medication and pack size <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->


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Sample NDC:

![](https://i.imgur.com/oVaKose.png) <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->


![](https://i.imgur.com/RHHp4nH.png) <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="2" -->


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## WHY Linking? (Business Case)


Pinpoint Order suggests Reorder Point (ROP) on the preferred product and the preferred product is identified by Linking process.

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## What is ROP?

> The reorder point (ROP) is the minimum amount of an item which a firm holds in stock, such that, when stock falls to this amount, the item must be reordered. <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->

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### HOW Linking works?

* Linking process 
    * groups the drugs either by GPI or by GPI + Pack size. <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->
    * identifies parent per each group based on pre-defined set of business rules. <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="2" -->

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* Currently our cusotmers perform linking process manually 

* Our Linking engine automates this process and helps with management of links in the pharmacy system.


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* Our Linking Engine currently supports PDX and enabled only for one customer (Weis)

    * Linking output file is generated in PDX supported format 
    * and it can be uploaded into their system 
    * and it effectively makes changes to their linking data 


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* Updated linking data reflects in the QOH files that we receive from customers 

    * Our PPO algorithm uses this linking data and generates ROP for the preferred product in each drug family group. <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->


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* Our customers purchases drugs/products from 2 sources: 
    - Wholesaler (Ex: McKesson) <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1" -->
    - Warehouse  (Chain's warehouse buys from manufacturer for cheaper price) <!-- .element: class="fragment" data-fragment-index="2" -->

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* Linking uses 3 data files as input and applies the linking business rules and generates a Linking output file.
    * Medispan Drug file
    * Wholesaler drug file
    * Warehouse drug file

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### Linking Business rules

* Exclude drugs which are not in Medispan DB. 

* Exclude drugs with MultiSourceCode values 'M', 'N', 'O'. (only drugs with MultiSourceCode 'Y' are eligible for linking.) 


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* Exclude drugs with all of the parenteral routes defined in the Medispan DB: 
    * RouteOfAdministration = EP, IL, IJ, IA, IX, IC, ID, IM, IO, IP, PL, IT, IV, SC. 


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* Exclude LinkType 'None': 
    * Exclude drugs with RouteofAdministration: "IV", "IJ", "IM", "SC", "IC", "IR" (No link for all Injectable)
    * Exclude drugs with DEAClassCode = 8
    * Exclude drugs with PackageCode == "X" AND FormCode == "S" AND RouteofAdministration == "OR" (Oral Drugs with UnitDose) 


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### Linking Workflow

![](https://i.imgur.com/RRUOaiO.png)


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## References

* [Linking overview ](https://dev.azure.com/supplylogix/Application/_wiki/wikis/Application.wiki/76/Linking)
* [Enable Linking for new customer](https://dev.azure.com/supplylogix/Application/_wiki/wikis/Application.wiki/63/Enable-the-Supplylogix-Linking-Product-for-a-Chain)

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![](https://i.imgur.com/rICc0zx.png)


