Business
E-prescribing campaign aims at patients to reach doctors
■ Proponents hope patients can influence their physicians to give up prescription pads and that influence also can be tapped to advocate for legislation.
By Pamela Lewis Dolan — Posted June 2, 2008
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Direct-to-consumer marketing isn't only about enticing patients to ask for a specific prescription drug. It's also about pitching patients to ask their doctors how that prescription will be conveyed.
This patient-centered pitch on electronic prescribing is being made by SureScripts, the nation's largest provider of electronic prescribing services, joined by nearly all of the nation's largest pharmacy chains.
The hope is that patients who are educated about the benefits of e-prescribing will start to demand that their physicians use the technology.
SureScripts chief marketing officer and lead campaign organizer Tammy Lewis said the main objective is to let patients know that more than 70% of pharmacies have e-prescribing connectivity, and show how e-prescribing might benefit them.
Part of the campaign involves signage at more than 26,000 pharmacies saying, "ePrescriptions filled here." Other signs will direct consumers to a Web site where they can learn about the benefits of e-prescribing, find a doctor who has the technology, and print information to bring to physicians who don't (link).
The printed materials include information about a Web site where physicians can assess their e-prescribing needs and learn about available systems. Five physician organizations and the Medical Group Management Assn started that site (link).
The consumer-campaign backers say that since their March launch, more than 1,600 visitors representing 15,000 prescribers have completed an online assessment at the physician Web site.
Paul Cotton, senior legislative representative and lobbyist for AARP, which supports e-prescribing and is encouraging Congress to make it mandatory, thinks patients could have substantial influence over their physicians. "I think that when patients start asking their physicians if they do e-prescribing it will encourage more physicians to do this."
Some e-prescribing physicians agree patients might have a little more influence than advocacy groups when it comes to nudging physicians into adopting the technology. But they also think patients could have influence in other advocacy efforts.
AMA Board of Trustees Chair-elect Joseph M. Heyman, MD, an ob-gyn in Amesbury, Mass., has prescribed electronically for several years. He said he has no problem with patients talking to doctors about e-prescribing. "But it needs to be a fair discussion."
He said most patients probably don't realize the obstacles physicians face. Cost is one, and other limitations include legislation that prohibits physicians from using e-prescribing for narcotics.
"When technology comes along that physicians aren't accepting, there's usually a really good reason, and patients getting involved won't change that," Dr. Heyman said.
AMA Trustee Steven J. Stack, MD, an emergency physician in Lexington, Ky., in May met with health care leaders at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., where he reiterated the Association's desire for the Dept. of Health and Human Services to develop standards for e-prescribing. He also outlined the AMA's version of what e-prescribing legislation should look like, including financial incentives as well as a transitional period for implementation.
Jarrod Post, MD, vice president of the Connecticut Multispecialty Group in Hartford, said he thinks e-prescribing could offer an affordable gateway to adoption of electronic medical records. But he also believes patients need to be educated on the obstacles, and perhaps advocate for solutions.
"There are significant financial barriers that are not being addressed nationally for practices to really take money out of their own pockets to embrace these new systems," Dr. Post said. "As the challenges of the industry get worse, patient influence may be able to change public policy so there will be more state-to-state or national approaches to get these systems."