FARMINGTON – Surescripts recently recognized the top 10 e-prescribing states at the fourth annual Safe-Rx Awards. Surescripts created the Safe-Rx Awards to raise awareness of e-prescribing as a means of enhancing patient safety by providing a more secure, accurate, and informed prescribing process.
The Safe-Rx Awards are given annually by Surescripts to the top ten e-prescribing states in the nation. This year’s top ten are: 1. Massachusetts, 2. Rhode Island, 3. Michigan, 4. Nevada, 5. Delaware, 6. North Carolina, 7. Pennsylvania*, 8. Connecticut, 9. Maine*, and 10. Arizona. Those with an * next to them are new to the top ten.
E-prescribing allows clinicians to view a patient’s medication history, allergies, and insurance information at the time of prescribing, create a prescription, and then transmit it from any computer with Internet access.
“Congratulations to all the Safe-Rx Award winners for increasing the use of e-prescribing and for the benefit it has brought to the economy, safety and quality of patient care in communities throughout their states,” said Harry Totonis, president and CEO of Surescripts. “Each year there are more and
more examples of how a state and key stakeholders can work together to drive e-prescribing adoption and use. We congratulate those leaders and hope that their examples will inspire and inform many more successful efforts in the year ahead.”
The Safe-Rx Awards are based on an analysis of data from prescriptions electronically routed over the Surescripts network. States were ranked and recognized according to the number of prescriptions routed electronically in 2008 as a percentage of the total number of prescriptions eligible for
electronic routing.
In Maine, the total prescription electronic routing volume was 393,147-up 217 percent over the previous year. Franklin Memorial Hospital, Healthinfonet, and Martins Point Healthcare were all recognized as key contributors driving the increase in e prescribing in the state. In 2008,
326 doctors and 240 community pharmacies in Maine used e-prescribing. At Franklin Memorial Hospital, e-prescribing was first launched in October 2006; now 42 of its clinicians use e-prescribing.
“More and more doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants are turning to e-prescribing for the safety, efficiency and quality advantages it provides them and their patients,” said Ralph Johnson, chief information officer at Franklin Community Health Network and Franklin Memorial Hospital.
“Electronic prescribing is part of our community-wide effort to improve access to medications, increase patient safety, decrease medication errors, and increase the number of patients who fill their prescriptions and take their medications according to their doctor’s instructions.”
Individuals who are interested in finding out more about states’ e-prescribing rankings can go to the Safe-Rx Awards Web site at www.surescripts.com/Safe-Rx. The site shows a complete ranking of all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on prescription routing.
Franklin Community Health Network is an independent community health care network that includes Franklin Memorial Hospital, Franklin Health, Evergreen Behavioral Services, and the Healthy Community Coalition. Franklin Community Health Network has been the recipient of numerous national awards for innovation, high quality care, and partnering with the community and other
local organizations to improve health.
Surescripts is the result of a 2008 merger between the country’s two leading health information networks: RxHub and SureScripts. Surescripts gives healthcare providers secure, electronic access to prescription and health information that can save their patients’ lives, improve efficiency and reduce the cost of healthcare for all. Available during emergencies or routine care, the Surescripts network
connects prescribers in all 50 states through their choice of e-prescribing software to the nation’s leading payers, chain pharmacies and independent pharmacies. Through its work in standards, certification, education and collaboration at the national, regional and state levels, Surescripts and its network have become the backbone that facilitates e-prescribing. For more information, go to www.surescripts.com.
