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 Health Access Network Utilizing E-Prescribe 

Lincoln – Health Access Network providers are using E-Prescribe with all local pharmacies, including Miller Drug in Bangor.  This is a practice of prescribing medications electronically (as opposed to hand written prescriptions).  The benefits of E-Prescribe include improved patient safety and overall quality of care.  Illegibility from hand-written prescriptions is eliminated, decreasing the risk of medication errors.  Warning and Alert systems for allergic reactions and adverse drug effects and drug interactions as well as unnecessary duplication are provided automatically at the time of prescribing.  

     The use of E-Prescribe also eliminates faxes to pharmacies and streamlines the refill requests and authorization process, including the reduction of phone calls and call-backs to pharmacies.  Refill authorizations from the pharmacy can be a completely automated process and refills can usually be generated in one click.  The pharmacist generates a refill request/authorization that is delivered through the network to the provider’s system, the provider then reviews the request, approves or denies the refill and the pharmacy system is immediately updated.

     Increase of patient compliance is another benefit.  It is estimated that 20% of paper-based prescription orders go unfilled by the patient.  E-prescribe expedites the filling of prescriptions at the pharmacy and drug literature can be printed for patients.  Patient convenience is also an added benefit by reducing patient trips to the pharmacy and reducing wait times.  In addition, providers are able to write or authorize prescriptions anytime from anywhere that there is a wireless internet signal.

     Important review of prescribing practices and specific data reports can also be generated.  So, for example, if there is a specific drug recall all patients who have been prescribed that medication during the recall period can be identified and contacted.

     Talk to your healthcare professional to learn more about E-Prescribing and how it can benefit you.