How does the Start Date impact Routine/Treatment medication ccheduling?

The Start Date determines when a Routine or Treatment medication schedule begins in ALIS. It acts as the anchor point for the medication schedule, meaning all future administrations are calculated based on this date.

Why is the Start Date important?

For most medications scheduled daily or on specific days of the week, the Start Date simply determines the first day the order appears on the MAR and in Pass Meds. 

For interval-based schedules, the Start Date plays a larger role because ALIS uses it to calculate the repeating pattern of administrations.

Which schedules are affected by the Start Date?

The Start Date is especially important for interval-based scheduling options such as:

• Every N Days
• Every Other Day
• Every Other Week
• N Days On / N Days Off 

For these schedules, ALIS calculates future medication administrations by counting forward from the Start Date.

Example: Every N Days

If a medication is scheduled Every 2 Days with a Start Date of June 1, ALIS schedules the medication on:

• June 1 → June 3 → June 5 → June 7 → etc.

If the Start Date were June 2, the schedule would instead appear as:

• June 2 → June 4 → June 6 → June 8 → etc. 

Example: N Days On / N Days Off

If an order is scheduled 3 Days On / 2 Days Off with a Start Date of June 1, the schedule would appear as:

June 1–3 → medication given
June 4–5 → no administration
June 6–8 → medication given
June 9–10 → no administration

The pattern repeats from the Start Date.

Can the Start Date be edited after processing the order?

No. Once the order is processed, the Start Date cannot be edited.

Because this field anchors the medication schedule, it is important to confirm the correct date before processing the order.

If a scheduling pattern appears incorrect after processing, the order schedule may need to be adjusted from the Manage Orders page or recreated.

Best Practice

When processing Routine or Treatment medication orders:

• Carefully review the Start Date.
• Confirm the Interval setting.
• Verify the schedule on the resident’s MAR after processing.

This helps ensure medications appear on the correct days and reduces scheduling errors.

Related Articles:

• Processing Pharmacy Orders in ALIS

For more assistance: 888.404.ALIS (2547)  |  support@go-alis.com