Advocates Pushing for Approval of E-Prescribing for Controlled Drugs
Various stakeholders in the community, represented by the e-Prescribing Controlled Substances Coalition, are requesting that President Bush encourage the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to approve use of electronic prescribing for controlled substances (pdf). The full text of the organization’s letter sent to the President was published by the Tennesean.
The Coalition includes pharmacies, payers, employers, vendors, healthcare providers, and additional stakeholders from the healthcare community. They have a long history of working with the DEA, extending over five years, to obtain that agency’s approval for use of e-prescribing for such drugs. Almost 12.5 percent of all prescriptions filled are controlled medicines.
Coalition members argue that allowing use of e-prescribing for these drugs will help further encourage more widespread use of e-prescribing by healthcare providers. The group suggests that healthcare is failing to leverage the capabilities offered by implementation of electronic tools across the spectrum of healthcare delivery.
The DEA, alternatively, cites concerns about verifying the legitimacy of e-prescriptions for controlled substances. The Agency cites additional concerns about recordkeeping capabilities with the e-prescribing systems.
December 7, 2007 Related topics: Legal & legislative, Partnerships & Consortia