US Government Promotes e-prescribing
Electronic prescriptions (e-prescriptions) will eventually replace the traditional physician’s prescription pad as doctors electronically transmit their prescription orders to a pharmacy.
E-prescriptions can reduce medication errors caused by illegible handwritten prescriptions, contribute to the development of electronic health records and result in increased efficiency in health care. However, at the moment, e-prescriptions comprise only slightly more than 2% of total US prescriptions.
To encourage US doctors to adopt e-prescribing, starting in January 2009 they will be paid a 2% bonus on top of doctors’ negotiated Medicare payments if they use e-prescribing for about half of their eligible prescriptions. In 2010, the bonus will be reduced to 1%, and in 2012 doctors who continue issuing handwritten prescriptions will begin paying penalties for doing so.
In 2009, the incentive program will cost Medicare an estimated $240 million, and the average Medicare physician would receive a $1,600 bonus for e-prescribing next year. (Medicare is the US health program designed to serve senior citizens).
As of 2006, it was estimated that about 8% of Canadian physicians are using some form of e-prescribing. The Health Council of Canada’s 2006 Annual Report notes that barriers to the adoption of e-prescribing across Canada include the following:
- lack of access to complete patient information;
- absence of technology at the point of care;
- a lack of integration of technology into the care process; and
- applicable legislation and regulation not supporting e-prescribing.
For more information, see:
http://tinyurl.com/67azl9; and
http://tinyurl.com/69k83p
Summary by: Andrei Edwards
