Improving Formulary Compliance through E-Prescribing

In previous posts, I’ve blogged about the value of medication history during transitions of care, and offered perspective on how medication history can save hospitals time and money, all while improving clinical quality. In this post, I’d like to share my thoughts on another long standing service we offer through the Surescripts network – access to patient formulary and benefit information.

Surescripts works with the nation’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and payers to offer prescribers access to their patients’ prescription benefit information in real time during an office visit through their EHR system.

Point of care access to patient eligibility and formulary allows prescribers to determine the most clinically appropriate and cost effective medication for patients and enhances the advantages of electronic prescribing through:

• Improved formulary compliance
• More efficient generic/therapeutic interchange
• Reduced administrative time and costs

This topic is top of mind for me as I am preparing to moderate a panel on EHR Integration for Formulary and Decision Support at the World Congress Summit to Leverage EHRs for Prescriber Engagement on July 15th, 2014 in Philadelphia. Joining me on the panel will be David Fidler, Director of ePrescribing and Clinical Interoperability at Express Scripts, Steven Labkoff, MD, FACP, Head, Strategic Programs, R & D Information at AstraZeneca., Allison Orenstein, Director of Physician Connectivity and Engagement at CVS Caremark and Susan Skledar, RPH, MPH FASHP, Clinical Specialist at UPMC.

I am expecting an interesting and robust discussion on how Formulary and Benefits, in addition to Medication History, provided to a prescriber in real time at the point of prescribing, impacts the e-prescribing process. PBMs and pharmacies founded Surescripts and create efficiencies and cost savings in the prescribing process through e-prescribing. Pharmaceutical companies want to make sure that their products are appropriately represented to prescribers in the ambulatory as well as the acute care setting during the prescribing process. The experts on this panel will discuss how the current process works, what issues exist in the current process and then engage the audience in what I hope is a lively discussion.

If you are attending the Summit, please be sure to stop by and join our discussion.