3 States Laying Down the Law on Opioids

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On par with our last post, the widespread media attention and devastating losses associated with our nation’s current opioid epidemic has sparked certain state legislatures to regulate and improve providers’ prescribing habits for prescription painkillers.

With good intentions in tow, some rulings seem to lack readily available solutions that are proven to curb this crisis. However, they do realize that their recent proposals do not mark the end of this uphill battle, rather multifaceted solutions need to be in place to truly, and successfully, overcome this epidemic.

[Read: Overdose Awareness – The Time to Stand Together is Now]

Here are three states that have recently proposed rulings on how opioids should be prescribed:

Vermont

Coined as a “cutting-edge” approach to overcoming the opioid crisis, Governor Peter Schumlin announced proposed limits on the number of opioid medications that could be prescribed.

Like every other state, Vermont has seen an incredible increase in deaths related to opioid and heroin overdose in recent years and Governor Schumlin is no longer sitting on the sidelines.

Earlier this year, he approached both the FDA and pharmaceutical industry in his State of the State address claiming that OxyContin “lit the match that ignited America’s opiate and heroin addiction crisis,” and that the booming American opiate industry knows no shame, an outcry after the FDA approved OxyContin for children a few months ago.

The proposed ruling states that the severity and duration of pain will determine the specific limit for a prescription of opioids. For example, a minor procedure with moderate pain would be limited to 9-12 opioid pills and the amount would increase based on the procedure performed and the level of pain a patient claims. The ruling would also require providers to discuss risks, provide an education sheet to the patient and receive an informed consent for all first-time opioid prescriptions.

The Green Mountain State’s Governor believes that limiting the number of opioid pills prescribed would be an effective way to reduce addiction, yet some folks believe the ruling would only encourage patients to seek illicit drugs elsewhere if they cannot receive pain medication through their provider.

This does make sense considering many former and current heroin abusers have stated that their addiction started from a prescription and when the pill bottle ran out, they were left seeking these drugs on the streets, which have proven to be very, if not more, dangerous than the prescription.

However, the intent of the Governor’s ruling is to prevent addiction from ever happening in the first place. His ruling is specific to cases of acute pain, therefore changing the over-prescribing habits and learned behavior of utilizing opioids as first-line therapy; habits that ensued in large part due to incentives, the surge of pharmaceutical marketing tactics and claims that painkillers were not addictive.

[Read: How Costly Are Prescription Pain Meds?]

New Jersey

With the rate of drug overdose deaths on the rise by 137% since 2000, New Jersey is another state to recently propose new regulations on how and to whom opioids are prescribed.

New Jersey, much like many other states, believes that prevention is key when fighting this crisis and they couldn’t be more correct. Unfortunately, several barriers often occur when seeking appropriate treatment after a patient becomes addicted, (for example, providers are limited to certain amounts for which they can administer reversal drugs), and therefore why not PREVENT addiction, rather than simply TREAT addiction when at many times, it’s too late?

Senator Raymond Lesniak has introduced a bill that would put restrictions on health insurance coverage for opioid medications, while also requiring prescribers to first consider alternative pain-management treatments, follow federal prescribing guidelines and explain the risk of addiction with such substances to their patients before prescribing. Furthermore, providers will need to complete several steps before receiving approval of an opioid prescription. These steps include providing a patient’s medical history, conducting a physical exam and developing an appropriate medical plan for treating a patient’s pain.

While new rulings in place can certainly shift this epidemic, Angela Valente, the executive director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, said it best:

“Awareness and education is the key factor in preventing the abuse of opiates—everyone must have a role in reversing this epidemic, including lawmakers, parents, coaches, educators, and yes, even doctors and dentists.” – Angela Valente

Dr. Andrew Kolodny, executive director of Physicians Responsible for Opioid Prescribing, further backs Valente’s point while also motioning that the medical community has been prescribing too aggressively.

[Read: The Opioid Epidemic: Are Dentists the Black Sheep?]

Pennsylvania

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania experienced 3,500 deaths last year as a result from drug overdose, one of the highest overdose rates in the nation.

The state has had a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program for quite a few years now, however it wasn’t functional until August 2016, when their new program was officially rolled out. Pennsylvania requires providers to query the state’s prescription drug database the first time they prescribe a controlled substance to a patient or if they have reason to believe that the patient is doctor shopping.

Governor Tom Wolf addressed other initiatives underway including requiring providers to query the database EACH time they prescribe opioids, updating medical school curriculum and continuing education, changes to the process of pain care to lower inappropriate use of opioids, and improved screening, referral and treatment for addiction.

What’s bothersome in Pennsylvania, is the method in which these substances have to be prescribed. The Pennsylvania Controlled Substance Act requires narcotic prescriptions to be handwritten on paper prescription pads, yet every other substance can be electronically prescribed. This allows the risk of written prescriptions being lost, stolen, or sold. Luckily, Senator Richard Alloway intends to introduce this measure before the legislative session’s end.

It’s promising to see how the above states are utilizing their state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, or PDMP. All three require their prescribers to query the affiliated state database, however the parameters in which, or how often, they check varies.

While said efforts are better than no effort at all and states are starting to fully understand the need for multifaceted solutions in order to overcome this epidemic, one key solution is missing. E-Prescribing.

[Read: The Link Between PDMP’s and e-Prescribing]

How does e-Prescribing help combat this epidemic?

• e-Prescribing diminishes the possibilities of duplicate or lost prescriptions since the prescription is sent directly to the patient’s pharmacy
• A patient will no longer have a paper prescription where the dispense quantity can be altered
• Prescribers will have access to a patient’s medication history, therefore they can determine if a patient is “doctor shopping” or has a history of substance abuse

To learn how to incorporate e-Prescribing as a solution to the opioid epidemic, schedule a meeting with DoseSpot today.

Sources: NY Times; Boston.com; ABC News; Press of Atlantic City; PennLive

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescriptsâ„¢ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

The Insider Threat: The Dentist

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In our last installment of the Insider Threat series, we look to fellow dentists within a dental practice as a potential risk for prescription fraud. How, or better yet why, would a dentist commit such a crime if they are lawfully allowed to authorize prescriptions for their patients? With the opioid epidemic upon us, it’s an unfortunate reality that individuals dealing with a substance abuse issue will go to great lengths to obtain such substances. These drugs do not discriminate regardless of one’s socioeconomic status and sadly, that includes those whom are meant to help combat this crisis: dentists and doctors.

Dr. Joseph Gorfien, a partner at a dental practice in Florida, utilized a fellow dentist’s professional license information and paper prescription pad to forge and fill prescriptions for Oxycodone without his partner’s knowledge. Gorfien took advantage of not only his own position’s authority, but his partner’s as well.

Dr. Mark Horowitz, although being investigated for a multitude of bad behaviors, had a suspended license and decided to utilize a fellow dentist’s prescription pad to obtain 130 pills of Oxycodone for personal use. The dentist in which he stole from only worked in that particular office one day per week and left his prescription pad readily available for anyone to swipe. Horowitz forged the prescriptions as well as the other dentist’s signature.

If a dentist is not utilizing another dentist’s DEA number for their own personal or financial gain, they may be abusing the professional relationships with those that they employ. Dr. Maurice Zybler, a dentist in Massachusetts, was recently accused of fraud because he was using his employees to acquire pain medications for more than a decade. He used his ability as a dentist to prescribe pain killers for his own personal use and wrote fraudulent prescriptions in his employee’s names in which they would fill and return back to him. If they didn’t fill the prescriptions, they expected to be fired.

 Click here to learn more about e-Prescribing and start saving time and money today!

While most dentists are generally aware of potential theft of DEA numbers or prescription pads from patients or staff, they may not question their equivalent peers. A recent survey conducted by Dentist’s Money Digest, further proves this state of ignorance. Nearly one in three dentists claim that they are personally aware of a dentist colleague with a painkiller problem and 65% said they see opioid abuse as a “minor” problem, while another 28% said it is a “significant, but not pressing” issue.

“However, dentists’ roles in the opioid epidemic extend beyond the prescription pad. Many dentists end up addicted themselves. Addiction can stem from stress, personal issues, or simply the access healthcare workers have to such drugs.” Dentist Money Digest

The role of dentists, or any healthcare provider for that matter, within this opioid epidemic is crucial to the success of overcoming this crisis. Not only should dentists consider establishing office policies that can prevent or mitigate the diversion of opioids, but should also partake in ongoing education initiatives regarding responsible practices for prescribing such substances. With colleagues suffering from their own substance abuse issues, assistance, respect and understanding should be of utmost priority, regardless of any role within a dental practice and especially with the perceived stigma associated with addiction.

As part of these policies, dentists should consider e-Prescribing as a beneficial tool to safeguard their prescriptions from patients, staff and fellow dentists. Since e-Prescribing requires the entry of two unique passcodes for controlled substances, it will diminish the element of risk pertaining to stolen prescription pads and DEA numbers that are left out in the open for anyone to take. Furthermore, e-Prescribing is a proven method to help curb the opioid dilemma relative to doctor shopping and places a checks and balances system on prescribing behaviors. The benefits are exceedingly visible and with 3-9% of opioid abusers using forged written prescriptions, it’s a commonsense solution.

We hope you enjoyed our Insider Threat series and that it has given you informative, yet eye-opening insight into the potential threats your dental practice may harbor. This is not to say that employees or dentists cannot be trusted, but with 58% of dentists falling victim to prescription fraud, a change must occur for the safety and wellbeing of a dental practice, as well as their patients.

Sources: University of Kentucky; Boston.com; SunSentinel; prweb; Dentist’s Money Digest

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com

The Insider Threat: The Assistants

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As we continue our Insider Threat series, we look to the role of the assistants within a dental practice. Specifically, the office assistant and the dental assistant. Though their responsibilities may vary from one practice to another, as well as from each other, assistants are often tasked with a myriad of similar duties, including having access to a dentist’s prescription pad or prescription software. The dental assistant, in particular, serves as a direct extension to the dentist and typically writes or calls in prescriptions on the dentist’s behalf.

Though the perceived trusting relationship between a dentist and their assistant(s) may alleviate the daily mundane tasks for the dentist, how much trust is too much? Should a dentist’s prescription pad or prescription software really be that accessible to anyone within the office? Let’s take a deeper dive and review three cases of prescription fraud committed by an office or dental assistant.

First up, in a West Michigan dental office, an office assistant decided to stay after hours and throw a party for some friends. Not only were multiple items stolen, but her friends utilized the dentist’s DEA number to call in and obtain unauthorized prescriptions from multiple pharmacies. Of the items stolen were the dentist’s prescription pad and signature stamp, of which, both were laying around in plain sight and available for anyone to take.

Another office assistant in Bethlehem, PA, whom had free access to a dentist’s prescription pad, admitted to taking two prescription slips, filling them out in the dentist’s name and authorizing 10 Percocet tablets on each for a family member. Not only were the unauthorized prescriptions filled, but the quantity dispensed was altered from 10 to 20 pills, which is easy to do given that they were paper prescriptions.

Lastly, a dental assistant in Alaska was found guilty of prescription fraud for phoning in numerous prescriptions for Vicodin on behalf of the dentist for a non-patient. In her capacity working in the dental office, she was allowed to call in prescriptions for patients, but took complete advantage of that authority. The pharmacist found the situation to be suspicious and contacted the dentist, whom confirmed that he had never authorized such prescriptions.

While the saying “any publicity is good publicity” may work in certain situations, bad press for a local dentist can be extremely detrimental. All three articles pertaining to the stories above include the dentist’s name and practice location, therefore there is no real way to hide from such unfortunate circumstances and stories like these have the potential to deter both current and prospective patients from a dental practice.

Luckily with e-Prescribing, there is no more need for paper prescriptions, therefore no more altered dispense quantities and no more stolen prescription pads. Furthermore, prescriptions will no longer need to be phoned in since it’s a simple click to send a prescription on its way to the pharmacy with no intermediary. A significant decline will also occur relative to the rate of fraud, resale and abuse of controlled substances because e-Prescribing secures all information exchanges from diversion.

 Click here to learn more about e-Prescribing and start saving time and money today!

This is not to say that assistants cannot aid a dentist with their patient’s prescriptions, quite the opposite in fact. When utilizing DoseSpot and with a dentist’s permission, office and dental assistants can receive their own e-Prescribing account and create prescriptions on behalf of the dentist. However, the dentist must utilize their own unique security passcodes to authorize and send the prescriptions along to the pharmacy, which is especially important when prescribing controlled substances.

To complete our Insider Threat series, we will be discussing how it’s not only office staff, but also fellow dentists, who can be a potential risk for prescription fraud within a dental practice. Look out for our next installment coming to you on Thursday, August 25^th!

Sources: Juneau Empire; Wood TV; WFMZ

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com

The Insider Threat: The Office Manager

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To kick off our Insider Threat series, we shine light on dental practice Office Managers and the trusting relationship they share with dentists. After all, the office manager is meant to be the dentists’ point person who relieves them of administrative and financial duties within the office. Therefore, when it comes to the clinical management of patients, how much control should office managers have? Should office managers have access to the dentist’s prescription pad or prescription software?

Let’s take a look at Nicole Allenton, a now ex dental practice office manager in Washington state whom is serving one year in county jail for forging numerous prescriptions. Utilizing the office’s practice management software, Allenton took advantage of her position of trust and authority to print and fill 15 unauthorized pain medication prescriptions for herself and family members. None of whom were the dentist’s patients and sadly, this wasn’t her first time committing prescription fraud. She previously worked as a dental hygienist in another dental office and pulled off another non-sophisticated scheme to receive pain medication prescriptions simply by phoning the pharmacy “on behalf” of the dentist.

How could this possibly happen, you ask? Regardless of the trust factor, or lack thereof, the computer software in which the dental office deployed was not equipped to handle e-Prescribing. Although prescriptions were entered into the computer system, they could not be transmitted electronically to the pharmacy – they had to be printed, thus giving Allenton a perfect opportunity to take advantage of her superior’s handy DEA number and signature.

 Click here to learn more about e-Prescribing and start saving time and money today!

With written, printed or phoned in prescriptions, there are no checks and balances in place. Since e-Prescribing requires two-factors of authentication for controlled substances, Allenton wouldn’t have been able to forge any prescriptions since a dentist must enter two unique passcodes, including a 6 digit passcode that changes every 30 seconds. Furthermore, e-Prescribing provides a fully electronic audit trail which gives dentists complete insight into all of their prescription activity.

The aftermath pertaining to this case is substantial and it’s safe to say that the price to pay for not controlling prescription access is no laughing matter. Not only did Allenton end up behind bars, but as a result of her actions the two offices in which she was employed experienced severe financial repercussions and one office had to close its doors altogether.

Unfortunately, there are many instances in which a dental office employee has committed prescription fraud. As we will uncover in our next two cases, the office manager isn’t the only potential Insider Threat. Stay tuned for our next case, The Assistants, coming to you on Tuesday, August 23rd!

Sources: Tri-City Herald; News Talk

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com

The Insider Threat

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In recent years the trusting relationship between dentists and their staff has come under scrutiny. Questions such as ‘how much control should my staff have?’ or ‘can my staff have access to my prescription pad?’ are questions posed in a dental office on a day-to-day basis, or so we hope. With 58% of dentists falling victim to prescription fraud, an issue that seems to be hitting dentists is Identity Theft. Not identity theft in the usual sense, but specifically the misuse of a dentist’s DEA number, forged signatures and stolen prescription pads.

The culprit? The Insider Threat comprised of office staff and fellow dentists. As the opioid epidemic kicks into full gear, dental offices are seeing the highest rate of fraud yet with forged prescriptions, specifically for controlled substances, and unfortunately staff members with access to the dentists’ prescription pads are at fault. However, as you will read in Case 3 which will be posted on Thursday August 25^th, dentists also need to safeguard their prescription pads from other dentists! This is not to say that office staff and peers cannot be trusted or that they’re the sole cause of prescription fraud, not at all. However, how much trust is TOO much without proper protocols in place to ensure checks and balances for every prescription being written?

In 2016 alone, there have been numerous cases where an employee of a dental office has been behind the forged prescriptions and stolen prescription pads, which has ultimately led to dentists hanging the good old closed sign on the front door of the office.  This is the type of financial implications such a crime can impose.

Over the next week, we will be discussing specific cases in which a staff member has taken advantage of their employment to receive or distribute unauthorized prescriptions, as well as useful tools to help combat your potential Insider Threat. Stay tuned!

Case 1 – The Office Manager. Thursday, August 18^th

Case 2 – The Assistants. Tuesday, August 23^rd

Case 3 – The Dentist. Thursday, August 25^th

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com.

Congress, Dentists, and the Opioid Crisis: Is Good, Good Enough?

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As the opioid epidemic continues and more policies have recently been implemented to curb this crisis, it seems that a crucial piece of the puzzle is missing: mandatory electronic prescribing. Like Devon Herrick mentions in his latest post, e-Prescribing is a commonsense solution for an issue that isn’t slowing down in the United States. Now is the time for Congress to step up and take advantage of solutions that are not only available, but approved and certified by the DEA. It’s clear that efforts to prevent and treat the opioid epidemic will fall short without additional investments and while states have implemented Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), they’re not mandatory and the ability to further capture data will undoubtedly be a pivotal cornerstone while facing this epidemic and for several reasons. With electronic prescribing:

1. A prescriber can track a patient’s medication history and make smarter treatment decisions, i.e. doctor shopping, recent prescriptions filled, and drug-to-drug and drug-to-allergy interactions.
2. There is no more need for paper prescriptions, therefore no more interpreting messy handwriting, no more altered dispense quantities, and no more stolen prescription pads.
3.  A significant decline will occur relative to the rate of fraud, resale and abuse of opioids because e-Prescribing secures all information exchanges from diversion.

Electronic prescribing has been utilized by doctors for a few years now, but the e-Prescribing of controlled substances is last to hop on the bandwagon. Until recently, federal regulations prohibited e-prescribing of controlled substances due to perceived risks, however electronic prescribing diminishes these elements of risk.

Click here to learn more about e-Prescribing and start saving time and money today!

Since New York mandated that all prescriptions must be sent electronically, dentists in particular, have seen a vast change in the number of opioid prescriptions: “In a study of dentists, within a few months after iSTOP was implemented in New York, opioid prescriptions fell by about half, from 31 percent of dental visits before iSTOP to 14 percent in the following three months. The quantity of pills per prescription also fell. The total numbers of opioid analgesics prescribed fell by three-quarters (78 percent).”

Whether it’s mandated or not, the numbers don’t lie – electronic prescribing proves to be the smarter and safer force as we battle opioid addiction. Congress, take note.

Sources: National Center for Policy Analysis; PLOS; National Safety Council; NPR; Congress

About DoseSpot DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com.

How Costly Are Prescription Pain Meds? CVS Can Tell You.

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If only money grew on trees—I’m sure the revolving door of CVS’ bank accounts hope so. In the hot seat once again, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced on Thursday, June 30, that CVS is to pay $3.5 Million to resolve allegations that pharmacists have been filling forged prescriptions for controlled substances more than 500 times between 2011 and 2014. They failed to recognize the red flags for fake prescriptions and computer system bans on individuals receiving addictive drugs and did not alert the authorities. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time CVS has had to shell out a large sum of money as a result of negligence when filling controlled substances.

May 2015 – $22 Million; Florida

August 2015 – $450,000; Rhode Island

February 2016 – $8 Million; Maryland

June 2016 – $3.5 Million; Massachusetts

“DEA registrants like CVS have a corresponding responsibility to dispense controlled substances in accordance with the Controlled Substance Act.  When pharmacies fail to adhere to these responsibilities, it allows for the diversion of prescription pain medication, which contributes to the widespread abuse of opiates, is the gateway to heroin addiction, and is devastating our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson.  

Furthermore, dentists were victimized once again. A woman identified as “P.R.” signed a dentist’s name on 56 of 59 oxycodone prescriptions that were filled at five CVS locations, even though CVS had banned her back in 2011. Creating a new patient profile with a different last name was her way in. Another forger had used a Massachusetts address for a dentist who had moved to Maine.

Click here to learn more about e-Prescribing and start saving time and money today!

The settlement money is going to the Department of Justice for now, but there are hopes that this money will be used toward prevention—specifically addressing the need for a way forged prescriptions will never even be able to happen. This is where e-prescribing comes into play. e-Prescribing eliminates paper prescriptions, thus eliminating the risk of forged prescriptions, altered quantities, and stolen prescription pads.

Contact us today to learn how seamless the e-Prescribing transition can be with DoseSpot on your side and let’s combat this opioid epidemic together.

Sources: Boston Globe; U.S. Attorney’s Office, RI; U.S. Attorney’s Office, MA; U.S. Attorney’s Office, MD; U.S. Attorney’s Office, FL

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com.

We’ve done the research: Check out our top picks for telehealth video plug-ins!

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In building a viable telehealth solution, there are a number of key aspects that must seamlessly combine to create a robust clinical workflow. Among these crucial features are scheduling apps, virtual waiting rooms, clinical charting, audio recording and of course, video conferencing plug-ins. To provide you with some up-to-date and relevant information in the digital health space, we’ve gone ahead and reviewed some of the top telehealth video plug-ins on the market today. Take a look below and let us know what you think!

TokBox (San Francisco, CA)

Website: www.tokbox.com

Previously backed by Bain Capital Ventures and Sequoia Capital, TokBox develops and operates an API Platform, OpenTok, which enables users to add group video chat features to websites or mobile applications. TokBox’s industry leading Video API makes it easy to embed sophisticated and scalable video communications to facilitate consultations, team collaborations and more. From a telehealth standpoint, OpenTok helps healthcare professionals stay connected with patients in a timely fashion. The OpenTok platform can be directly integrated into a new or existing telehealth service and has been known to increase workflow efficiencies among customers. And speaking of customers, TokBox’s telehealth loyalty base includes personal health service Babylon, 2nd.MD and Net Medical Xpress.

Vidyo (Hackensack, NJ)

Website: www.vidyo.com

A venture funded company providing both software-based technology and product-based visual communication solutions, Vidyo offers a leading platform for high-definition video conferencing. Telehealth solutions powered by Vidyo have proven critical both in areas where doctors are in short supply and for routine checkups between healthcare professionals and patients. Expanding across specialties including primary care, teleneurology surgery and critical care, Vidyo’s video collaboration platform is currently integrated with REACH Health, American Well, HealthSpot and California Telehealth Network.

Polycom (San Jose, CA)

Website: www.polycom.com

With more than 400,000 clients nationwide, Polycom provides a unified video communication solution that increases productivity across the telehealth sector. Since 1990, Polycom has established its presence as a reliable video conferencing provider in the areas of education, financial services, government, entertainment, healthcare and more. Collaborative healthcare solutions via Polycom enable organizations to improve care, reduce cost and work together despite physical barriers. Armed with an impressive customer base in the healthcare realm, Polycom currently works with organizations including Clinicians Telemed–California’s largest multi-specialty telemedicine provider–, telepsychiatry-focused Gosnold on Cape Cod and Greater Midlands Cancer Network.

Tely Labs (Redwood City, CA)

Website: www.tely.com

Founded in 2010, Tely Labs has created telyHD, a video calling system that delivers high-definition Skype video-calling to the conference room, healthcare facility and more. With its ease-of-use and security features, telyHD is well-suited for healthcare providers in their endeavors to treat patients in cost-effective ways. The aging American population is currently a major target for Tely Labs–providers can utilize telyHD to remotely diagnose patients, provide ongoing outpatient care and subsequently reduce hospital readmission rates significantly. Current Tely Labs customers include Hospice of the Western Reserve, Cleveland Clinic and St. Croix Hospice.

For more information on each of these hip and happenin’ video consultation plug-ins, we recommend checking out the company websites listed above (case studies, industry news, etc.)!

And don’t forget–once you make your video plug-in selection, DoseSpot is here to tackle the e-Prescribing portion of your telehealth product. We provide a full e-Prescribing API that is easily integratable with any and all healthcare software applications and give you the ability to leverage valuable data including prescription history, medication lists, allergies and more! Download our Tool Kit today to get the full scoop.

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com.

“Protecting the pill:” Johns Hopkins students develop tamper-proof, biometric pill bottle

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Over the past few years, prescription drug abuse has been a heated topic here in the U.S. among healthcare professionals and policymakers alike. Engineering students within Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering are taking strides to address continuously alarming drug abuse statistics with the creation of a novel, tamper-proof pill bottle.

As cited in HIStalk Connect’s article, the engineering students were called upon by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to undertake this special project. With more than 16,000 annual deaths attributed to prescription drug-related overdoses, the goal of Hopkins’ project was to develop a robust pill bottle that would help control the nation’s relatively unsecured supply of prescription narcotics. According to assistant professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Kavi Bhalla, the overseeing team wanted “this personal pill ‘safe’ to have tamper resistance, personal identification capabilities and a locking mechanism that allows only a pharmacist to load the device with pills.”

The four engineering undergrads assigned to take on this project answered accordingly–by developing a 2.75 pound, nine-inch-tall, steel-constructed pill bottle that can withstand any hammer or drill activity. Additionally, fingerprint scanners are used to regulate dispensing and ensure that pills are only released to the patient a medication is prescribed to–at proper time intervals and in correct doses. After gaining positive feedback from both Bloomberg clinicians and pharmacists at the on-campus Rite Aid, Hopkins engineering students uncovered an important and overlooked design value: the ability to record medication adherence rates. If connected to a monitoring system, the tamper-proof pill bottle (again, equipped with fingerprint reading capabilities) could eventually be useful to payers and health systems working to reduce funds wasted on poor medication adherence.

For healthcare software companies looking to incorporate the ability to electronically prescribe controlled substances (EPCS), DoseSpot could be your solution of choice in just a few hours, days or weeks! Through our third party EPCS audit with Drummond Group Inc., a global software test and certification body that is approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration to audit EPCS software applications, DoseSpot is now able to deliver audited and trusted EPCS software applications to customers. For more information on DoseSpot’s EPCS software, please download our Integration Tool Kit here!

SOURCE: HIStalk

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com.

DoseSpot Completes Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances Certification with Drummond Group

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Needham Heights, MA (PRWEB) October 15, 2014 - DoseSpot, an industry leader in e-Prescribing integration platforms for medical, dental and telehealth software, today announced that its software application has completed the required third-party Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS) audit with Drummond Group Inc., a global software test and certification body that was approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to audit EPCS software applications.

DoseSpot selectively pursued EPCS Certification with Drummond Group, one of the first DEA approved certification bodies. “After undergoing Drummond Group’s extensive audit process and phased approach to understanding the EPCS requirements, DoseSpot may now deliver audited and trusted EPCS software to their customers,” said Aaron Gomez, Drummond Group’s Director of EPCS Auditing.

The audited EPCS software also incorporates industry leading two-factor authentication and identity proofing technologies to meet the requirements of the DEA Interim Final Rule for EPCS. “We strive to provide an easy-to-use e-Prescribing interface and our team has successfully incorporated the EPCS functionality without disrupting our existing user experience,” said Greg Waldstreicher, President, DoseSpot.

DoseSpot prescribers will now have the ability to e-Prescribe controlled substances in 49 states. “In less than six months, New York will be the first state to mandate e-Prescribing, including EPCS,” added Greg Waldstreicher. “We are committed to offering the best e-Prescribing integration experience for our current and future software customers and have made the process for enabling EPCS incredibly easy.”

For more information on DoseSpot’s EPCS software, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com or contact Lindsay Walsh, Lindsay(at)dosespot(dot)com.

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. To request a demo of DoseSpot’s e-Prescribing integration platforms, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com/.

About Drummond Group Inc. 
Drummond Group Inc. is a global software test and certification lab and third-party auditor that serves a wide range of vertical industries. In healthcare, Drummond Group tests and certifies Controlled Substance Ordering Systems (CSOS), Electronic Prescription of Controlled Substances (EPCS) software and processes, and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) – designating the trusted test lab as the only third-party certifier/auditor of all three initiatives designed to move the industry toward a digital future. Founded in 1999, and accredited for the Office of the National Coordinator HIT Certification Program as an Authorized Certification Body (ACB) and an Authorized Test Lab (ATL), Drummond Group continues to build upon its deep experience and expertise necessary to deliver reliable and cost-effective services. For more information, please visit http://www.drummondgroup.com or email DGI(at)drummondgroup(dot)com.

Read the full press release here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/10/prweb12249755.htm