Home Forums Discussions General Discussion E-prescribing and meaningful use

Are Medicare patients required to use E-prescribing?

We had a difficult time attesting for MU ( but got it done yesterday 40%).

I don't feel that I should force pts to use E-prescribe. If they want the rx in their hand , i give it to them.

I am supposed to tell my Medicare patients that they must use it, or I won't get my MU dollars (I would never say that to them).

There is an office in the area that put a sign up notifying Medicare pts that all medicare RX will be sent electronically.

Any ideas?

Send the script electronically and then hand them a copy.

If you go in an print copy after sending electronically I believe that will count as non ERX and bring down your percentages. I just made it clear to patients that the government required me to use ERX and most are fine with it - I worked with my patients about picking a pharmacy, etc - it really works pretty good.

I did put up a sign about height and weight (must hit 50% but found it best to just tell people the government makes me do it and now after last year it is a rare patient who complains). For patients I have a good rapport (lots) I tell them if they refuse to be weighed I will just put 500 lbs down and they laugh and go ahead and get weighed. One pt I had stood on the scale, I put my foot on back and pushed down - when he looked at the scale he said "Oh my god" and I leaned around and said "Oh my god how much does my foot weigh?" and took it off - then he lost 50 lbs instantly and felt much better - it is all about developing that relationship.

That may be...but do it in the opposite order. Hit "prescribe" then "preview prescriptions." Print the prescription, THEN "transmit to pharmacy".

The patient gets an printed prescription and I think this will still count in your favor as an eRx. You don't need to ask their permission to e-prescribe.

make sure you codify the Rx otherwise when it goes to the clearinghouse if not codified it gets sent as a fax and no eRx credit received

Just to get back to the original point.

Must Medicare patients accept e-prescribing??

I don't believe so.

The federal government can't even get their own pharmacies online :^(
We have lots of retired military that use the base pharmacies and they have to be printed, no fax or electronic submission allowed

Greg

No they do not but if you do not meet the percentage requirements you will be penalized.