Vermont Governor on E-Prescribing

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June 22, 2009 -- Washington, DC – At an event at the National Press Club, Surescripts today announced that their annual state rankings and progress reports detailing e-prescribing use and adoption statistics for all 50 states.

Today’s event featured Governor Jim Douglas and Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen as co-chairs of the State Alliance for E-Health and as co-hosts of the Fourth Annual Safe-Rx Awards. The State Alliance was created by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices in January 2007 to improve the nation's healthcare system by forming a collaborative body that enables states to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the health information technology initiatives they develop.

The State Alliance has recognized the potential for e-prescribing to improve both patient safety and the health of all Americans and has encouraged states to be proactive in creating and implementing policies that advance this and other e-health initiatives. Governors Bredesen and Douglas were also on hand to receive Safe-Rx Awards for their states’ sizable jumps in e-prescribing use.

“I am so proud of the good work that Vermont has done to increase its e-prescribing practices. This is the kind of advancement in health care that can reduce errors and increase efficiency,” said Governor Douglas. “I want to extend my thanks to all those who have helped in this effort. As Chairman of NGA, I plan to continue our work in this important area.”

“Vermont’s jump in the state rankings from 31st to 14th is testament to the impact that Governor Douglas and key organizations throughout the state are having on e-prescribing adoption and use,” said Harry Totonis, president and CEO of Surescripts. “This benefits the economy, safety and quality of patient care in communities throughout Vermont. We hope that their example will inspire and inform many more successful efforts in many more states in the year ahead.”

“The State Alliance recognized early on that encouraging states to make e-prescribing a top priority would have an immense value in our electronic health efforts,” said Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen. “Paperless prescribing is making its way into the health care mainstream in Tennessee and across the nation. It’s our hope to see e-prescribing become a natural part of every health care provider’s workflow because of its practical benefits to patients in providing better care.”

Top 10 E-Prescribing States 1. Massachusetts 2. Rhode Island 3. Michigan 4. Nevada 5. Delaware 6. North Carolina 7. Pennsylvania* 8. Connecticut 9. Maine* 10. Arizona *New to the top 10

The Top 5 Most Improved States 1. Vermont 2. Tennessee 3. Kansas 4. Illinois 5. Missouri

“It is an honor to join Governor Bredesen, my co-chair of the State Alliance for e-Health as the top two most improved states this year. Vermont has jumped to 14th overall and next year we hope to make the top ten,” Governor Douglas continued. “As Washington works to reform our health delivery system, we can offer a number of valuable and proven changes like e-prescribing and electronic medial records that will enhance the lives of millions of Americans.”

About Surescripts State Rankings

Surescripts Announces A Meaningful Change to Future State Rankings Historically, the Safe-Rx Awards are based on an analysis of data from new prescriptions and refill responses electronically routed over the Surescripts network. States are 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 January of 2010, Surescripts will release a new state ranking. Using data from 2009, the rankings will measure use of not one, but three critical steps in the electronic prescribing:

1. Prescription Benefit: Electronically accessing a patient’s prescription benefit information.

2. Prescription History: With a patient’s consent, electronically accessing that patient’s prescription history from pharmacies and payers.

3. Prescription Routing: Electronically routing the patient’s prescription to their choice of pharmacy and electronically reviewing and responding to a prescription renewal requests that pharmacies send to the physicians’ practices for approval.

This approach recognizes the combined role that prescription benefit, history and routing play in improving the overall safety, efficiency, cost and quality of the prescribing process. It is Surescripts’ position that measuring and reporting the actual use of all three of these services defines ‘meaningful use of electronic prescribing’ under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

For a full description of the change in ranking methodology, go to www.surescripts.com/Safe-Rx.

About Surescripts Surescripts is the result of a 2008 merger between the country’s two leading health information networks: RxHub and Superscripts. 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.

Source: Vermont Governor