Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - (Page 4) 4 DRUG TOPICS JULY 28, 2008 www.drugtopics.com Of Interest to Pharmacists pharmacy staff. To support the infrastructure and con- send electronic prescription renewal requests to prescribnectivity, pharmacies pay transaction fees to SureScripts ers. About 95% of all pharmacies are what the report when they receive electronic prescriptions and send calls “e-prescribing capable,” meaning the software used electronic renewal requests. It’s an investment that pays by the pharmacy has the ability to receive electronic off. For example, when prescriptions arrive directly in prescriptions and transmit electronic renewal requests. the pharmacy’s computer system, technicians spend less But that capability has not necessarily been activated on time interpreting handwriting or PHIE. “Many independent pharE-prescribing saves re-keying information into their macies are holding off subscribing time and money computer systems. According to until they hear a demand from a study by Michael Rupp, R.Ph., A recent study by Michael Rupp, R.Ph., of the prescribers,” said Whittemore. of the consulting firm Desert consulting firm Desert Mentors in Glendale, The technology market is not Mentors in Glendale, Ariz., that Ariz., found that average prescribing process- waiting for doctors, however. At translates into a reduction in ing time is significantly reduced by electronic the end of 2007, 105 technology pharmacy labor costs represent- transmission of prescriptions, resulting in sav- vendors were certified as able to ing a 15.8% drop in labor costs ings to pharmacists. The result is 26.6% less transmit electronically via PHIE. for new prescriptions and 6.1% staff time processing new prescriptions when This number is expected to grow drop in labor costs for renewed compared with other new prescriptions and to 150 by the end of 2008. 10.2% less staff time processing renewed prescriptions. It’s not all roses, of course. The electronic prescriptions. Federal support imposition of any new technolThe market is responding to ogy always creates some workplace confusion. And a powerful concept, said Tony Trenkle, director of the pharmacists pay a small transaction fee for each trans- Office of E-Health Standards and Services at the Cenmission. One study showed that there was a potential ters for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He said the fedfor a greater number of callbacks associated with e- eral government plans to push hard for industry-wide prescribing from pharmacies to physicians. “That could adoption. “It has the potential for improving health result from unfamiliarity and a resulting lack of trust in outcomes, and Congress recognized that,” said Trenkle. the technology,” said Whittemore. “When providers choose to invest in e-prescribing But of all stakeholders, pharmacists are most pre- technology, it improves quality and efficiency and can reduce overall costs. But as of now, e-prescribing is volAverage prescription processing time (seconds) untary in Medicare and throughout the marketplace.” E-Rx All other Walk-in Phone-in Fax-in Other segments of the healthcare industry are also Rx Rx Rx Rx beginning to see the light, which is good news for pharmacists. New research tracking the number of New Rx prescriptions received by pharmacies before and after Pharmacist 51.6 64.7 61.1 81.6 51.5 physicians began using electronic prescribing showed Technician 48.7 71.9 89.1 62.2 64.7 an 11% increase in new prescriptions actually filled. The All Staff 100.3 136.6 150.2 143.8 116.2 research late last year was conducted by SureScripts and Walgreens using prescriber data from IMS Health. Renewed Rx Trenkle said that the creation of technology that is Pharmacist 37.0 35.4 28.6 34.9 42.9 reliable (and provides complete privacy) and the cost to Technician 36.9 46.9 54.8 36.0 49.8 physicians are the two biggest barriers to implementaAll Staff 73.9 82.3 83.4 70.9 92.7 tion. Source: National Community Pharmacists Association The release of final standards by CMS—governing formulary and benefits, medication history, fill status pared for this brave new world. According to a report notification, and provider identifiers—coupled with issued in June 2008 by The eHealth Initiative and the congressional action will encourage wider adoption. Center for Improving Medication Management, at the The standards, required by Medicare law, will govern end of last year 41,000 chain and independent phar- how physicians, pharmacies, and drug plans will commacies were activated on PHIE—that’s about 97% of municate. “We’d like to see Congress push this issue chain pharmacies and 27% of independent pharmacies, hard,” said NACDS president and CEO Steven Anderor 72% of all community pharmacies. son. “It’s to the benefit of everyone, especially patients.” The report, entitled “E-Prescribing: Becoming Main- THE AUTHOR is a writer based in Gettysburg, Pa. stream Practice,” defines “activated” as pharmacies live on PHIE and able to receive electronic prescriptions and http://www.drugtopics.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 Contents E-Prescribing's Return on Investment Far Outweighs Cost to R.Ph.s Medication Compliance Failure is Costly But Avertable Most Common Reasons for Noncompliance Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Contents (Page 1) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Contents (Page 2) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - E-Prescribing's Return on Investment Far Outweighs Cost to R.Ph.s (Page 3) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - E-Prescribing's Return on Investment Far Outweighs Cost to R.Ph.s (Page 4) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Medication Compliance Failure is Costly But Avertable (Page 5) Drug Topics - July 28, 2008 - Most Common Reasons for Noncompliance (Page 6)
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