E-Prescribing
Tuesday, July 22 2008
by Rose Hoban
| 
Send to a friend
In 2006, officials from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina piloted an "e-prescribing" program for some doctors around the state. The program allows doctors to submit prescriptions directly to pharmacies.
Today, the insurer says it's expanding the voluntary E-prescribing program to all the physicians in the state. The program allows doctors to do more than just write a prescription.
"They have access to information around the patient's medication history, around their benefits, around what co-pays may be applicable, around what other alternatives could be applicable for that patient as well," said Blue Cross vice president Ron Smith.
The program is coming at a good time. Last week, Congress passed legislation that provides incentives to doctors who prescribe electronically, and eventually, penalties for those who don't.
