The javascript used on this site for creative design effects is not supported by your browser. Please note that this will not affect access to the content on this web site.
Skip Navigation
H H S Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Information Technology and Quality
Improvement

A-Z Index  |  Questions?  |  Order Publications  |  HRSA Mobile

What is involved in Communication?

With the implementation of an e-prescribing system, it is essential that, in addition to internal communication, the patients and local pharmacies be told that the office is planning to implement e-prescribing.  Patients who may not feel comfortable with e-prescribing may require one on one time to learn about the process and its benefits to patients, providers, and pharmacies. go to exit disclaimer

While more than 75 percent of pharmacies in all 50 states throughout the United States are connected to e-prescribing go to exit disclaimer, there are a few that are not, so it is useful to inform the local pharmacies the office is planning to implementation e-prescribing.  Particularly for those pharmacies not familiar with e-prescribing, it is helpful to work with the pharmacies for training and the transition from faxed prescriptions to e-prescriptions.  If there is time, it may be valuable to arrange preliminary "test runs" to determine if the process works well at both ends.

When the vendor is implementing the system, the practice should provide the vendor with a comprehensive list of pharmacies that the patients frequently use. The vendor can then match this list with the pharmacy records information in practice's program. This will help ensure that the frequently used pharmacies are appropriately matched to the master pharmacy file (at Surescripts) from the beginning, and thus are enabled for electronic prescriptions. If the practice application allows the creation of customized pharmacy records (customized name, address, or phone and fax number), then it is also important to ensure that the application system matches such records in the master pharmacy lists provided by the Surescripts network.  Surescripts has created a website that permits people to search for pharmacies that accept e-prescriptions go to exit disclaimer based on zip code.

The following resources provide additional information on the communication of e-prescribing to consumers

Developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration as a resource for health centers and other safety net and ambulatory care providers who are seeking to implement health IT.
About
Health Information Technology Toolboxes help health centers, safety net providers, and ambulatory care providers with electronic and online resources and technical assistance to improve patient care.  More>
Stay Informed

Register for the HealthIT and Quality Improvement eNewsletter

Comments?
E-mail the HealthIT e-mail box: healthit@hrsa.gov