Why New ePrescribing Technology is Worth Breaking Old Habits

If you’re keeping up with healthcare security news, then you’re likely aware of the ongoing cybersecurity threats in the healthcare industry. With attacks and threats growing year over year, healthcare security is just as important to patients and practices as other business-critical functions. 

In the February 2024 cyberattack on Change Healthcare, physicians, patients and pharmacies were unable to fill prescriptions in the early days of the attack. You can imagine, or may have experienced first hand, the truly challenging ripple effect on every person involved, especially patients unable to get their medications. 

It’s important to note that not every doctor using an EMR connected to Change Healthcare was restricted from prescription writing. More on that in just a moment. 

First, let’s look at what’s happening in the world of electronic prescribing and why it’s time to pay attention to modern, cloud-based software. 

Over the course of the last few years, ePrescribing has been mandated in most U.S. states, whether for all prescriptions or for certain controlled substances. In many states, the last ten years have seen unprecedented growth in ePrescribing. The shift to electronic prescribing for all medications, including controlled substances, is a necessary step in ensuring patient safety, minimizing prescription errors, and reducing the potential for misuse. Cloud-based ePrescribing may also offer a level of continuity in your clinical workflow, despite the outside world's attempts at disruption. 

And, yet, we all know someone who holds on to aging technology for any number of reasons. For some it is just about a slow shift to modern technology due to habit and lack of motivation to change, and for others it’s about resistance to changing workflows, perceived costs and other concerns.  

Whether you’ve been ePrescribing through your EMR system for a while or you’re finally ready to retire the pen and pad, a standout software solution is iCoreRx cloud ePrescribing software. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about ePrescription software and then how iCoreRx stacks up. 

The basics of cloud ePrescribing: 

1. ePrescribing streamlines the prescription process. Send prescriptions directly to pharmacies electronically, and do so on the fly.  
2. Improved medication adherence means improved patient outcomes. ePrescribing simplifies the prescription process and can contribute to improved adherence. 
3. Tailor your ePrescription software for your preferences, speeding up prescriptions. Customize medication regimens based on both prescriber preferences and factors such as allergies, drug interactions, and patient preferences.
4. PMP/PDMP integration improves safety and saves lives. ePrescription software that integrates with your state’s prescription drug monitoring program can protect both you and your patients and can help keep you compliant. 
5. Improve prescription accuracy and reduce prescription errors. Prescription errors are dangerous and result in over 1 million ER visits yearly. ePrescribing can prevent confusion and help avoid costly errors. 

What is iCoreRx? 

ePrescribing with iCoreRx cloud ePrescribing software from iCoreConnect makes ePrescribing comprehensive, quick and compliant. Here’s a snapshot of what iCoreRx cloud ePrescribing software offers: 

1. Improved safety for patients (and prescribers).  

iCoreRx cloud ePrescribing software provides access to your patient’s full medication history, including new patients, from all healthcare providers. This not only creates a more informed drug treatment plan, but you can also monitor for controlled substances, be alerted to contraindications, potential allergies or other issues. 

Patient information and even pharmacy preferences are immediately at your fingertips, allowing both you and your staff to work faster. iCoreRx includes a built-in Physicians Desk Reference for instant drug and dosage information. It’s all accessible in one place and within seconds. 

Additionally, iCoreRx integrates with state PDMP/PMPs. This efficiency and accuracy is paramount to checking prescription data and having a single source of information regarding controlled substances.  

2. Decrease patient prescription barriers and increase medication adherence. 

If you ePrescribe with iCoreRx, the prescription goes directly to the pharmacy, preventing prescription loss and saving your patients multiple trips or time waiting at the pharmacy. A HIPAA compliant digital copy is generated for your records and stored in the patient’s file. 
 
Decreasing these barriers and simplifying the process for patients were both found to be important factors when it comes to improving rates of medication adherence. 

3. Improve practice workflow efficiency and convenience. 

iCoreRx is cloud based which gives you the ability to prescribe remotely using any internet-connected device. Use your laptop or iPad to prescribe away from your office without losing any of iCoreRx’s functionality. 

And, in looking back at the Change Healthcare incident referenced earlier, it’s important to note iCoreRx has failsafe protocols to prevent interruption of your service. That means that when Change shut down their systems and doctors across the country lost the ability to ePrescribe, iCoreRx customers didn’t miss a beat. With iCoreRx they had zero disruption writing, sending or getting pharmacy fulfillment.  

Doctors should be diligent in choosing certified ePrescribing software that is known for strong safety and continuity measures for both the patient and the practice. 

While change can be intimidating, the move to electronic prescribing or improving the way you currently ePrescribe is, certainly, a change for the better. Not only does it improve your office workflow and increase prescription speed and accuracy, but it also enhances patient experience and patient care, both key indicators of positive patient outcomes. What’s more, cloud-based ePrescribing with iCoreRx makes the transition incredibly fast and easy, so you can be up and running in no time flat. 
 
If you’re ready to explore a cloud-based ePrescribing solution designed to suit the needs of your practice and patients, while improving prescription safety, accuracy, and adherence, then head to iCoreConnect.com/MGMA1 to book a demo of iCoreRx cloud ePrescribing software by iCoreConnect. There are no set-up fees or installation charges. The iCoreConnect team provides direct assistance credentialing, training, setup, and U.S. based support for all customers. Prefer to call? 888.810.7706.