| Payers and health plans have pushed for new | | | | processes? If not you could be missing out on a |
| incentives for electronic prescription in 2009. For | | | | two percent Medicare bonus. Here's what you can |
| example, in January, Medicare paid doctors a | | | | do to ensure an easy transition. |
| bonus if they exchanged their prescription pads | | | | Before you get going, it is essential that you ask |
| over to e-prescribing. Various private health plans | | | | yourself if you want to practice e-prescribing |
| have also offered extra payments along with free | | | | using a stand-alone system or one that is part of |
| equipment. | | | | an electronic health records (EHR). |
| Free software is available thanks to technology | | | | Pros and cons: |
| companies. These are given away to encourage | | | | - Standalone systems are the least expensive and |
| doctors to go electronic. Free software normally | | | | the fastest to implement. But EHRs have |
| provides what you paid for it. For example, there | | | | additional features that aid in managing a medical |
| is little or no support when you sign up for free | | | | practice over the long run. |
| solutions. | | | | - Standalones will enable the practice to be up in |
| What the stats say: According to Web sources, | | | | time for 2010 to optimize the bonus. |
| the number of physicians prescribing medicines | | | | - Standalone systems may have the capability to |
| electronically has more than doubled in the past | | | | interface with a PM or EHR system. |
| year to about 70,000 (about 12 percent of all | | | | - The practice can then convert from a |
| office-based doctors). The increase is owing to | | | | standalone system to an integrated system when |
| the incentives introduced at the start of the year. | | | | an EHR is implemented. |
| Try not to fall in the 88 percent bracket still | | | | But the good news is you do not have to have |
| holding out in 2010 while throwing out two percent | | | | an EMR (electronic medical record) system to |
| of your Medicare income and possibly other | | | | e-prescribe. You can find standalone e-prescription |
| bonuses from private payers. | | | | systems such as online options that come much |
| So have you applied electronic prescription | | | | cheaper than a full-blown EMR. |