Alberta Blue Cross Benefits Forms
Alberta Blue Cross (ABC) drug special authorization form(s) must be completed, submitted and approved in order for a patient to be eligible for medication health insurance supports through programs administered by ABC.
External (Blue Cross) Forms
All available ABC drug special authorization forms can be found via an online database maintained by ABC. Print-ready (pdf) forms can be downloaded, printed and completed by prescribers. The full set of forms, plus all related requirements and instructions, are available via:
Completed forms should be scanned, attached to the Connect Care chart as "Media" documents, and faxed to ABC. The process is time-consuming, involves re-entry of data already in Connect Care, and is error-prone.
Internal (Connect Care) Forms
Letter Forms facilitate standardized documentation while accommodating a stakeholder's requirement for a particular documentation format. The forms can be rendered or easy communication via automated fax, and are accepted by clinical drug services administered by ABC.
Many ABC drug forms are configured for semi-automated completion and direct digital transfer (via RightFax) to ABC.
Finding Blue Cross Internal (Connect Care) Forms
Chart Sidebar
The easiest way to find the digital Blue Cross drug authorization form is to use the chart sidebar (rightmost collapsible column available to charts opened in Emergency, Inpatient, Outpatient contexts):
Select the "Forms" link from the index (bottom of left column).
From the Forms Sidebar display that appears, select the link to "Approval Requests"
From the popup list of approval requests, select the link to "internal" Blue Cross drug special authorization form. This will set up the appropriate form in the Communications activity.
Consent and eForms Navigator
The Consent and eForms Navigator can be found via a link in all the chart storyboard (leftmost column in all charts), via the Activities menu, by using a link in the chart sidebar ("Forms" index entry, "eForms" link in the sidebar view that opens), or via the chart search tool.
Open the Consent and eForms Navigator
Select the "Letter Forms" Navigator menu item (left column of navigator)
Select the "cForm Letters" link within the Letter Forms Navigator section
A popup display will include a list of available forms. Select the "Approval Requests" category.
A secondary popup will show available types of approval request forms. Select "Blue Cross Drug Special Authorization request form (internal)".
Work with the Blue Cross form that appears in the Communications Activity.
Communications Activity
The Communications activity can also be opened from within any chart opened to an inpatient, emergency or outpatient encounter.
Open a communications activity (chart search for Communications, or use chart sidebar link from "forms" sidebar, or find in Wrap-up (emergency and outpatient) navigators.
Start a new Communication, then use the "Replace Template" link to look for a specific communication template.
Search for "blue cross" in the template selector and choose the "AHS LETTER FORM - BLUE CROSS AUTHORIZATION" template
The appropriate form will be set up in the Communications Activity.
Completing Blue Cross Forms
Interactive Charting
ABC Connect Care "internal" forms are built with a template that uses interactive charting (e.g., click-to-review, click-to-edit wherever text appears in a dark blue font colour). Double data-entry is minimized because much of required information is pulled from the patient's chart and presented to the clinician for final editing. Where clinician decisions are required before making selections, the relevant chart data is available via popup displays that spare the user from having to search the chart.
Embedded Instructions
Users should look to instructions and options provided within the form. Any instructions showing in light yellow text blocks will be automatically removed when the form is sent to ABC. Note any interactive help links ("?" character). These can be selected for more specific instructions, including drug approval particulars.
Drug-specific Modules
The ABC special authorization forms in Connect Care continue to grow. A starter set of 5 commonly requested approvals (e.g., Dual/Tripple Puffers, Hypoglycemics, ARNI, SGLT2i, GLP-1 medications) will be added to over time.
A SmartList allows form users to navigate a cascading menu of options to find the drug(s) of interest and then enter drug-specific approval requirement information.
Sending Blue Cross Forms
It is important to pay attention to the form recipient. All Blue Cross Special Authorization forms are sent to "Alberta Blue Cross, Clinical Drug Services" which can be found by searching for "Blue Cross" using the "to" section of the Communications activity.
Finding Completed Blue Cross Forms
Completed forms are found in the "Letters" tab of Chart Review, which can be filtered to show "Approval Requests". Recently completed forms can also be reviewed within the "Forms" sidebar available from the sidebar index that shows for all charts opened to inpatient, emergency or outpatient encounters.