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ROCKVILLE, MD – The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality plans to survey physician practices and pharmacies to collect statistics on the percentage that have implemented functional e-prescribing systems.
With the data collected from the survey, AHRQ officials say they will identify catalysts and hindrances in the adoption of these IT systems.
The study will involve interviews with physicians, medical directors, IT administrators, pharmacists and other staff at 110 organizations and will take place over the course of two years. The AHRQ will accept comments and suggestions on its plans until Oct. 1.
AHRQ officials said the study will be the first to direct the same questions to physician practices and pharmacies in the same communities, helping to create a clearer picture of e-prescribing use.
For example, aside from collecting data on physician and pharmacy perspectives on electronic transmission, AHRQ researchers will also delve into how physicians use data from the list of accepted drugs covered in a patient’s health plan. The study will also inspect how pharmacies view and handle changes in communication with physician practices about accepted drugs through the use of e-prescribing.
According to the AHRQ, many e-prescribing systems don’t share the same features, and physicians and pharmacies might have technical problems when deploying the software. Other studies have shown that IT system limitations, workflow and training issues and real or perceived regulatory barriers can be difficult obstacles to overcome.
In 2008, a Medicare improvements law implemented financial incentives for physicians that have deployed functional e-prescribing systems. In addition, the HITECH provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides more incentives for organizations the provide proof of “meaningful use” when implementing electronic health records and e-prescribing systems.
Once completed, AHRQ officials expect the study will help assist the Health and Human Services Department, state and local government and private healthcare organizations develop new and effective approaches that promote the adoption and proper use of e-prescribing.
An AHRQ contractor, the Center for Studying Health System Change, will conduct the study under an existing contract.
