New Medication Refill Feature

The system sends automated text messages or phone calls to veterans when their long-term medications are getting low. About 15 days before a prescription is expected to run out, the veteran receives a reminder and can request a refill directly from the message. No extra sign-up is needed as long as the VA has a working phone number on file, and veterans can stop messages at any time by replying “STOP.”

Pharmacy leaders say they chose to bring this feature online locally before it was widely used across the country. AudioCARE is a national system, but the way Asheville is using the Prefill feature — focusing on maintenance medications, timing the reminders and designing the veteran-facing workflow — is something the team at Charles George VA Medical Center decided to adopt and refine on their own.

“We saw an opportunity to improve medication access, reduce last-minute refill issues and decrease call volume, and moved forward with it,” said Ryan Mills, PharmD, one of the pharmacists leading the effort.

So far, feedback from veterans has been positive. One veteran said reminders like these help prevent the stress and health problems that can come from missing important medications. The pharmacy team says the system supports safer, more reliable access to chronic medications while also easing the workload on staff and creating a more modern, convenient experience.

Leaders at the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System hope that by reaching veterans where they are — on their phones — they can help them stay on track with treatment, avoid running out of needed medications, and spend less time calling or waiting for refills.