Comments on: The Seldom Talked About Pieces of eRx http://www.healthcareitinsider.com/business-process/the-seldom-talked-about-pieces-of-erx/ Published by Biz Technology Solutions, Inc. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 02:50:54 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jason Harwell http://www.healthcareitinsider.com/business-process/the-seldom-talked-about-pieces-of-erx/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Jason Harwell Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:16:41 +0000 http://www.healthcareitinsider.com/?p=319#comment-6 I would agree with the comment above. There are good stand-alone eRx applications out there and even some free stand-alone apps to capitalize on if you don’t mind getting calls from sales vendors. Going to a stand-alone is a must smaller project than going to an EHR. Payers at one point where also giving incentives but we are now starting to see these fade as ARRA HITECH steps into the limelight. The ARRA HITECH does not allow double dipping of eRx incentives and EHR incentives which I think is interesting. From my experience the stand-alone applications have one negative and that is integration. When a new patient is entered into the Practice Management it is nice to have the patient show in the eRx application. Providers do not want to key in patients twice nor lookup the patient twice. Most stand-alone vendors offer this advanced feature but it is not free and will depend a lot on your practice management. If EHR is not for you I would say you still need the stand-alone eRx application. If you are actively looking at an EHR I would advise using the services that the EHR vendor offers. I would agree with the comment above. There are good stand-alone eRx applications out there and even some free stand-alone apps to capitalize on if you don’t mind getting calls from sales vendors. Going to a stand-alone is a must smaller project than going to an EHR.

Payers at one point where also giving incentives but we are now starting to see these fade as ARRA HITECH steps into the limelight. The ARRA HITECH does not allow double dipping of eRx incentives and EHR incentives which I think is interesting.

From my experience the stand-alone applications have one negative and that is integration. When a new patient is entered into the Practice Management it is nice to have the patient show in the eRx application. Providers do not want to key in patients twice nor lookup the patient twice. Most stand-alone vendors offer this advanced feature but it is not free and will depend a lot on your practice management.
If EHR is not for you I would say you still need the stand-alone eRx application. If you are actively looking at an EHR I would advise using the services that the EHR vendor offers.

]]> By: wjsisc http://www.healthcareitinsider.com/business-process/the-seldom-talked-about-pieces-of-erx/comment-page-1/#comment-5 wjsisc Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:20:02 +0000 http://www.healthcareitinsider.com/?p=319#comment-5 Since most of the office-based providers are not using EHR's at this time, I would not overlook the speed at which a provider can be up and running with a Stand-Alone eRx solution. EHR's take time to evaluate, train and implement. An EHR involves the entire patient encounter. It has a medium to long learning curve to adjust from the paper world to electronic. Stand-Alone e-Rx applications have a short learning curve and involves a small piece of the patient encounter. e-RX applications mimic the paper script. Incentives are in place now to e-prescribe (MIPPA). And a good Stand-Alone e-RX application will allow a provider to migrate their patient data to an EHR when and if they choose one. Since most of the office-based providers are not using EHR’s at this time, I would not overlook the speed at which a provider can be up and running with a Stand-Alone eRx solution. EHR’s take time to evaluate, train and implement. An EHR involves the entire patient encounter. It has a medium to long learning curve to adjust from the paper world to electronic. Stand-Alone e-Rx applications have a short learning curve and involves a small piece of the patient encounter. e-RX applications mimic the paper script. Incentives are in place now to e-prescribe (MIPPA). And a good Stand-Alone e-RX application will allow a provider to migrate their patient data to an EHR when and if they choose one.

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