Southeast Michigan ePrescribing Initiative (SEMI) Drives Michigan into Top Five ePrescribing States ...(wardsbegan in 2006. Last year the Wolver...),Health

Doctors: Safer prescribing, better care come with electronic prescribing

A recent survey of physicians in the SEMI program revealed that improved patient safety and quality of care topped the list of key benefits of the technology. According to the survey, conducted by HaldyMcIntosh & Associates:

-- Three out of four prescribers believe strongly that ePrescribing

improves safety for their patients.

-- Nearly 70 percent of respondents say it improves the quality of care.

-- More than 80 percent of all prescriptions written by those surveyed are

currently written electronically; four of 10 practices now only write

ePrescriptions.

-- More than 70 percent saw a reduction in communications with pharmacies

over prescription questions.

-- More than half strongly agree that ePrescribing saves clinicians time

and increases productivity.

The study also found that nearly 65 percent of physicians changed at least one prescription in response to a safety alert that warned of potentially harmful drug-drug interactions and drug-allergy risks at the time of prescribing. According to a 2006 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), at least 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events occur each year in the United States. The IOM recommends that all doctors adopt ePrescribing by 2010 to help alleviate this number and avoid the many mistakes that accompany handwritten prescriptions, including illegible handwriting, abbreviations and sound-alike pharmaceutical names.

Based on the survey findings, the SEMI partners will extend the initiative and continue to enroll physicians through June 30, 2008.

About SEMI

Launched in February 2005, The Southeast Michigan ePrescribing Initiative is one of the largest, employer-driven ePres
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