Do's And Don'ts of E-Prescribing Program

As CMS published the first set of adopted standards, known as the foundation standards, in January 1, 2006, common misconceptions have clouded practices' awareness of eScribing. Here's the inside scoop on what you should do and what you should know to turn your ePrescribing program into a success by finding out if the following claims are true of false.

Claim 1: Faxing Prescription to a pharmacy will meet the requirements of eScribing

Well, this is false. You need to send the prescription electronically, and not by fax. Some network that sends the electronic prescription to a pharmacy would convert it into a fax since the pharmacy does not have the capability to get an electronic prescription. In this instance, the process still counts as eScribing.

On the contrary, if your eScribing system is only capable of sending a fax directly to the pharmacy, the system is not qualified as an eScribing system. For CMS' detailed system requirements on eScribing at the Measures Specifications information online (Measure #125), go to www.cms.gov/ERxIncentive.

Claim 2: CMS needs a fully implemented EMR or EHR before you can use and take advantage from eScribing

False: You have two types of system to look at:

1) A system for e-prescribing only (a "stand-alone" system)

2) An EHR system with eScribing functionality

Key: Do not rush in buying your EHR and implementing it when you're not ready, just get it up in time to stay away from your eScribing penalties. You are going to be wasting more money in both purchasing the wrong EHR and spending resources implementing the wrong EHR just to avoid penalties.

You want to ensure that you select the right EHR for you: You research to choose the proper EHR which takes a great deal of time and investigation, then you order the right system; you gear up for the implementation; and you do a good staged implementation of the system for a successful EHR that will be used rightly in the practice. This takes time – somethimes up to a year for selection, training, and implementation.

You can select from a number of stand-alone eScribing systems that're independent of EMR or EHR.

Claim 3: You should not have a tough time implementing eScribing

True: eScribing is technology light and comparatively easy to implement within the office. As a matter of fact, you only have meet four criteria in order for your eScribing system to qualify for the eScribing Incentive Program. According to CMS, it must:

Generate a complete medication list that incorporates data from pharmacies and benefit managers

Choose medications, transmit prescriptions electronically using the applicable standards, and caution the prescriber of possible undesirable or unsafe situations

Provide information on lower-cost, therapeutically-appropriate choices (for 2009, tiered formulary information( if available) meets this requirement);

Provide information on formulary or tiered formulary medications, patient eligibility, and authorization requirements got electronically from the patient's drug plan.

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