Prescription management and refills

This article includes best practices for requesting prescription refills by first checking with your pharmacy, then submitting a refill request if needed, and lastly, picking up your refill. It also provides you with details on your follow-up appointments and how to get in touch with our Psychiatric Services team if you are experiencing side effects.

How Prescriptions and Refills Work at Rula

The prescription process begins during your initial appointment with a psychiatric provider, who will assess your history and create a care plan. If medication is prescribed, your provider will submit it electronically through our system integration with DrFirst, to the pharmacy you selected.

• You will not receive a notification when a prescription is submitted; however, you should receive SMS notifications with updates.
  
• Even after a prescription is sent, it may take time for the pharmacy to process it before it is ready for pickup.
• Most prescriptions will be filled without additional steps once submitted via DrFirst.
• Most providers review and process refill requests within 2 business days, but this can vary. 
• All prescriptions and refill requests must be reviewed and approved by your provider. Our Support Team cannot issue or approve prescriptions.
• Rula patients typically have a follow-up 2–4 weeks after starting a new medication.
• Currently, prescriptions are not visible in the Rula patient portal, AMD patient portal, or sometimes even in your pharmacy app (e.g., CVS).

It’s important to contact your provider before making any changes to your medication. Your provider can help answer questions about:

• How and when to take your medications 
• What to do if you miss a dose 
• Possible side effects
• Whether changes to your medication are needed

Requesting Prescription Refills

There are a few different ways you can check to see if you have refills for your prescriptions:

1. Check with Your Pharmacy - Call your pharmacy to confirm whether any refills remain.
   • If you're out of refills, you may ask the pharmacy to request one on your behalf.
2. Submit a Refill Request (If Needed)
   • If your pharmacy is unable to refill your prescription, please gather as much information as possible about why they were unable to do so. As a next step, you'll need to request a refill from your provider, who will review the request and determine the best course of action.
   • We recommend requesting refills at least 5 business days in advance to avoid delays, and make sure to schedule your follow-up appointment during your scheduled appointment.
3. Some medications (such as controlled substances) may require a follow-up appointment before a refill can be issued.

Pharmacy Unable to Refill Your Prescription?

If you are a California patient, you can email med@rula.com to contact our Psychiatric Services team, who will relay the message to your provider.

All other patients should message your provider directly through the Rula patient portal. You can do that by taking the following steps:

1. Log in to the Rula patient portal.
2. Click the Messages tab 
3. Here you can send you message to the provider requesting a refill. 

Timing Tip: Reach out at least 5 business days before you need the refill.

In most cases, you'll need to meet with a provider before we can issue a prescription refill. Typically, patients meet with their providers every 1-3 months, but the frequency will vary depending on their care plan. Once your treatment stabilizes, the appointments may be scheduled less frequently.  

• Missing appointments can result in delays in refilling your prescriptions, so we recommend establishing a regular schedule with your provider.

Picking Up Your Refill

Once your refill has been processed, you can check with your pharmacy to confirm if your prescription is ready for pickup. Many pharmacies also offer the option to sign up for email/text message alerts when your medication is ready for pickup

Prescription Status and Troubleshooting

If you’re unsure whether a prescription was submitted or if there’s a delay:

• Call your pharmacy to check. 
• If there’s still an issue, our support team can:
  1. Check the prescription/ refill status. 
  2. Identify sending errors (e.g., wrong pharmacy or voided prescriptions)
  3. Notify your provider and escalate concerns

We’ll follow up with you directly and guide you through the next steps, which might include:

• Reaching out to your provider for resubmission or clarification, or possibly, if needed, assisting in rematching your provider or requesting a new appointment if responsiveness is an issue. 
• Visiting urgent care or a PCP 
• Reaching out to the Pharmacy for a temporary 3-day supply (non-controlled) 

Prior Authorizations

Some medications require insurance approval before they can be filled. This process is handled by your provider and insurance, and may be delayed when your medication is ready. For more details and next steps, please see the Prior Authorizations help center article for more.

Side Effects

If you’re experiencing side effects: 

• California patients should email med@rula.com to send messages directly to our Psychiatric Services team, who will relay them to your provider. 
   
• All other patients should message your provider via the Rula patient portal as outlined above. 

If you’re experiencing urgent/severe symptoms, please contact 911 or visit your nearest Emergency Room or Urgent Care center for further evaluation and immediate treatment.

Contacting your provider about prescriptions

If you have questions about your medication, symptoms, or treatment plan, your provider is the best to guide you. 

You can contact your provider directly through the Rula patient portal: 

1. Log into your account 
2. Navigate to the messages tab 
3. Select your provider 
4. Send your message 

If you’re unsure what to include, consider sharing: 

• Your question or concern 
• When it started 
• Any changes you’ve noticed 

Urgent Requests

Do not wait for your provider to respond if you experience: 

• Trouble breathing 
• Chest pain 
• Severe allergic reaction 
• Thoughts of harming yourself 

Call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Additional Resources

• Resources for patients in crisis - If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek help immediately. This article includes resources for you to use, including Rula’s crisis hotline service, 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Kaiser Permanente Behavioral Health Care Helpline, and calling 911 or locating the nearest Emergency room.

  You do not have to go through this alone, and support is available 24/7 via phone, text, or chat - however you prefer to access support.

Updated May 01, 2026 15:23