There are 2 ways to use e prescribing, with an EMR and directly.
Directly is very slow and requires time, perhaps it is being done more by staff, but time is still money. Staff are less likely to react to error messages that pop up, lessening the value of e prescribing.
Directly through an EMR is the problems. The programs do not interface with AC well. Is it AC's fault or the vendors? Doesn't matter in our case because it is what we use.
If it interfaced smoothly, then it is an issue of cost. Suuure the feds say you will get a Medicare bonus (I'm in peds, that's nothing) and maybe there will be medicaid bonus (they barely pay us now, I won't hold my breath.)
So that leaves the issue of quality. Are we all so blind that we will miss that many allergies or drug interactions? There is a lot of hype about this but no data.
Yes, e prescribing COULD be better, but it is not set up currently to either be functional or practical for the majority of physicians.
I will ignore those EMRs that have integrated functional e prescribing AND work well, since the cost is absurd and contributes to the overall inflation of the health care budget thus not in the interest of the American public.
