Abstract: An automated system and method for processing prescription requests is disclosed, whereby a patient or physician enters a prescription request to an automated pharmacy prescription processing system. For example, a request for a new or refill prescription can be transmitted from a physician's office to the prescription processing system as a digital file or facsimile message, or using keypad or voice commands in an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system running in the prescription processing system. A request for a prescription refill can also be entered by a patient using an IVR system, or the patient can physically carry the refill prescription request to a pharmacy for entry to the prescription processing system by a technician. The automated pharmacy system determines whether the new or refill prescription request can be filled by a central fill inventory.