Physician Leaders Launch "Get Connected" Program to Help Thousands of Peers Start E-Prescribing

At an event on Capitol Hill, today, five of the nation's leading physician groups announced the launch of a new program designed to help more physicians begin sending prescriptions to pharmacies electronically. Electronic prescribing, or "e-prescribing," replaces the need for handwritten, printed or faxed prescriptions and is seen as a more accurate and efficient means of prescribing medications. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) are launching an online portal -- www.GetRxConnected.com -- where physicians can follow a step-by-step process designed to help them transition from paper-based prescribing to e-prescribing.

In an effort to prevent medication errors, the Institute of Medicine has called for all prescriptions in the U.S. to be written and received electronically by 2010.

Created under the auspices of The Center for Improving Medication Management, GetRxConnected.com contains urgent information and guidance for an estimated 150,000 prescribers located throughout the U.S. that are currently using electronic medical record (EMR) and other clinical software to fax prescriptions to pharmacies. Computer-generated faxing of prescriptions not only prevents physicians from achieving the gains in practice efficiency and patient safety associated with e-prescribing, but starting on January 1, 2009, all computer-generated prescriptions covered by the Medicare Part D program must be transmitted electronically and not via fax. (Important Note to Physicians Using EMRs: Most EMR users believe that they already send prescriptions to pharmacies electronically -- i.e. they are unaware that it is far more likely that their EMR is generating faxes that arrive on paper at the pharmacy's fax machine. These computer-generated, faxed prescriptions will not be in compliance with the new Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) Part D regulations.)

Through GetRxConnected.com, physicians and their staffs can find out if their existing software is compliant with the new Medicare regulations and can receive a free, personalized report to help them request an electronic connection to pharmacies through their vendor.

The Get Connected program is equally intended for physicians and practice management professionals who have yet to invest in EMR or other clinical software. The portal provides guidance on how to evaluate and acquire technology that supports e-prescribing. GetRxConnected.com also helps physicians and practice management professionals to assess the financial impact of e-prescribing using an interactive feature that allows them to calculate an estimate of the time and resources their practice is currently dedicating to the manual processing of prescriptions.

"Of the nearly 40 percent of AAFP members with fully adopted EHRs, less than 30 percent are sending prescriptions electronically today," said Steven E. Waldren, MD MS, director of the AAFP's Center for Health-IT. "With a targeted effort, many of those users could quickly capitalize on the quality and efficiency value of e-prescribing."

"E-prescribing is a tool that can help pediatricians enter the electronic age for clinical care," said AAP member Joseph H. Schneider, MD, MBA, FAAP. "It makes sense because it improves patient safety, it's relatively easy to use and it's low-cost. Participation in the 'Get Connected' program is one of the many ways that the Academy is working to support our members. Ideally, e-prescribing could also be a stepping stone in the journey that brings electronic health record use by pediatricians to the levels seen in other specialties."

"Moving physicians to electronic prescribing is an essential step toward improving the quality of patient care," said Jack Lewin, MD, CEO of the American College of Cardiology. "E-prescribing reduces errors and adverse drug interaction events, improves efficiency and patient satisfaction, and enables critical communication between the prescriber and the pharmacy. E-prescribing can also be an important first step in physician adoption of health information technology."

"Electronic prescribing can improve patient care and practice efficiency," said Ralph W. Hale, MD, executive vice president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "ACOG wants to do what we can to assist our members in adopting this technology. The Get Connected program is an important part of that effort."

"Electronic prescribing -- with a direct transfer of the prescription from the physician's office into the pharmacy's computer -- increases practice efficiency and enhances patient safety. We're urging all our members to 'Get Connected' as quickly as possible," said MGMA President and CEO, William F. Jessee, MD, FACMPE.

"The Center for Improving Medication Management is very excited to launch the Get Connected program in collaboration with these esteemed organizations," said Kate Berry, executive director of The Center and senior vice president of business development for SureScripts®, operator of the Pharmacy Health Information Exchange(TM). "We are confident that GetRxConnected.com will serve to inform and guide the transition of thousands of physicians from paper-based to paperless prescribing."