Free E-Prescribing Available from Clearinghouse
Electronic prescribing software from Prematics, Incorporated is being offered free (pdf) on the Availity LLC website. The prescribing tool available is through the Availity “private label”, CarePrescribe. A press release about the partnership was posted on the Availity site. The effort will pilot shortly in three markets and then later be expanded.
Availity is a claims clearinghouse based in Jacksonville that specializes in e-health transaction services. Information is shared regionally through single, secure transactions. The Availity Health Information Network provides access to clinical, administrative, and financial services and information. Access to these combined tools reduces administrative costs and streamlines workflow. CarePrescribe will be added to this suite of services.
Prematics is owned by Humana, Incorporated and Blue Cross Blue Shield from New Mexico, Texas, Illinois, Florida, and Oklahoma. These owners are sponsoring the effort, which includes free computer equipment for healthcare providers in addition to access to e-prescribing tools. Computer equipment provided includes desktop computers or PDAs, printers, a wireless network, server, and required internet service. The company additionally provides ongoing IT support.
The initial costs for the effort will be absorbed by Prematics. They will provide the tools for 28,000 existing clients of Availity. Prematics collaborates with insurance companies to provide clinicians with tools that enable use of electronic prescribing, including the necessary hardware.
Prematics’s philosophy is to provide clinicians with simplified, free access to e-prescribing tools. This is achieved by absorbing the initial costs for deployment and then having that money returned by insurance payers. Insurance payer sponsors reimburse the company through transaction fees paid out over a multi-year program.
The company’s first client signed was Capital BlueCross. The two companies established a partnership over a year ago in order to provide e-prescribing for 1,500 physicians in central Pennsylvania.
March 7, 2008 Related topics: Trends, Partnerships & Consortia, Pharmaceuticals