Idaho e-prescription program expanding

The Idaho Physicians Network and its parent company, Primary Health, Inc., have begun expansion of the state’s e-prescribing pilot program, the Idaho Business Review reported

June 16.

 

The program began in 2006 with 15 Boise area physicians, enabling them to send 31,648 prescriptions directly to pharmacies with neither paper nor pen, according to the article. The expansion will add another 100 physician participants.

 

Physicians statewide will be eligible for discounts of up to 75% for access to the system which will enable them to submit prescriptions electronically, the newspaper reported. Applications typically cost $800, but can range from $450 to $16,000, depending on the number of users and health plan details.

 

Electronic prescribing is similar to a highly secure Web-based e-mail system. It allows users to type prescriptions and send them directly from a computer or handheld device to a pharmacy, limiting confusion attributable to illegible penmanship or misinterpreted drug names, according to the article. The system also taps into a database of drug formularies and patient histories that can alert providers about prescription errors and less expensive substitutes.

 

Click here to read the Idaho Business Review article.