Surescripts releases how-to video for electronic prescribing of controlled substances
ARLINGTON, Va. — Surescripts on Thursday released a step-by-step video guide and tools available at getEPCS.com to enable adoption of electronic prescribing of controlled substances. This educational guide includes information about how to check if the electronic health records software is certified, how to obtain identity proofing and signing credentials and how to set access controls in the office to ensure EPCS transactions are secure. The online videos and digital tools can be easily embedded into other websites or shared through social media.
“A number of complex regulatory and technology requirements exist, and the amount of misinformation about EPCS is daunting, with many prescribers unaware that they have this option or that it’s legal,” stated David Yakimischak, EVP and general manager at Surescripts. “By eliminating the paper prescription and connecting physicians and pharmacists electronically, there is an opportunity to improve care, reduce fraud and identify potential instances of abuse.”
“Our retail pharmacies were early adopters of electronic prescribing and all of our 7,800 locations are enabled to receive electronic prescriptions, which is an important tool for reducing incidences of fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions being presented at the pharmacy,” said Josh Flum, SVP retail pharmacy at CVS Health. “We applaud the efforts of Surescripts to raise awareness of this technology solution.”
Currently, electronic prescribing of controlled substances is legal in 48 states plus the District of Columbia, and lawmaking is pending in Montana and Missouri to allow the practice by the middle of this year. New York is taking it a step further and requiring that prescriptions for all drugs, including controlled substances, be delivered electronically.
"Pharmacists in New York are ready for EPCS, however there is still a significant need for provider education and training to get them ready too,” said Tracy Russell, executive director of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York. “The information Surescripts is providing to prescribers will aid in increasing awareness of EPCS across the entire health care system and will help drive prescriber utilization of this critical technology.”
“It’s important that we take steps as an industry to enable the flow of information about prescribing patterns for controlled substances to help manage fraud and abuse,” said Bob Robke, VP interoperability strategies and solutions at Cerner. “Creating an interoperable network for providers and pharmacies to share this information gets us one step closer to breaking down interoperability barriers across all of health care.”
Across the country, more than 70% of pharmacies are ready to receive electronic prescriptions for controlled substances, but the number of prescribers who are ready to send them is approximately 6%. This is despite the fact that more than 60% of prescribers who already e-prescribe use software that has at least one EPCS-certified version enabled today. Beyond the required software updates, medical practices must complete several additional steps before they can legally send electronic prescriptions for controlled substances.