Nuts and Bolts of e-Prescribing: The Tools You Need to Get Started

Follow

Now that you’re well-versed in the world of e-Prescribing, let’s go one step further and prepare you for your own health care software’s e-Prescribing journey.

Here are some helpful tools to get you started.

Integration Tool Kit

The DoseSpot e-Prescribing Integration Tool Kit reviews everything you need to know about e-Prescribing integrations and what a partnership with DoseSpot e-Prescribing entails. Specifically, you will learn:

• DoseSpot’s e-Prescribing Integration Platforms: Integration JumpStart and Integration Plus+
• The markets we serve: Medical, Dental, and Digital Health
• Development features, functionality, and API
• Integration project cycles
• The benefits of partnering with DoseSpot

Get your copy here.

How to Prepare Guide

With more than 150 e-Prescribing integrations under our belt, we know a thing or two about what an e-Prescribing integration requires. In our How to Prepare Guide, we take the guesswork out by providing you with the following information:

• Specific patient demographic requirements
• Character limits and field requirements
• How to correctly transmit patient demographic information from your health care software to DoseSpot

Get your copy here.

Need more information? Feel free to schedule a meeting with us!

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 www.DoseSpot.com.

e-Prescribing 101, Part III: End Users

Follow

As we discussed in our previous post, e-Prescribing is the electronic transmission of a prescription from the prescriber’s device to the patient’s pharmacy of choice, therefore replacing the traditional paper prescription.

How does e-Prescribing work for end users?

While e-Prescribing software comes in many shapes and sizes, e-Prescribing integration is directly integrated into healthcare software such as an Electronic Health Record / Electronic Medical Record, telehealth application, or dental practice management solution. By way of integrating e-Prescribing into a healthcare software, the e-Prescribing platform becomes an integral component of a healthcare software’s product offering.

e-Prescribing integration seamlessly allows a prescriber to log into their existing healthcare software, select a patient, then search for, enter and send an e-Prescription for the patient in a few short steps. The process saves the prescriber time while improving patient outcomes.

What are the benefits of a custom, white labeled solution?

When an e-Prescribing solution is “white labeled”, this means the e-Prescribing user interface mirrors the look and feel of the healthcare software in which the e-Prescribing solution has been embedded. Colors, fonts, font sizes, layout – you name it – can all be completely customized to provide a seamless experience for end users.

Furthermore, mobile optimization has become a major trend as more healthcare software solutions are operating in the cloud and prescribers are accessing applications from multiple devices and multiple locations. This is why it’s important that the e-Prescribing functionality performs well in different environments, but most importantly, on smaller screens.

Responsive design is critical in ensuring that any e-Prescribing solution is accessible on every device. It’s the best one size fits all solution as this type of design allows the webpage to expand and contract in order to perfectly fit within any screen in both the traditional office and mobile settings. Ultimately, responsive design cuts down on development time as the e-Prescribing user interface does not need to be adjusted manually for each type of device (i.e. mobile, tablet, laptop, or desktop).

What does it take to cross the finish line and go live?

To go live with e-Prescribing and be able to send prescriptions electronically, all healthcare software companies must go through a Surescriptsâ„¢ e-Prescribing integration review. Surescripts operates the largest health information network that connects the diverse and expansive community of care partners nationwide, including pharmacies, providers, benefit managers, and health information exchanges.

As part of this e-Prescribing integration review, healthcare software companies will have to successfully execute various test scenarios during a web meeting with Surescripts. Test scenarios will be provided for the following services:

• NewRx: Route new prescriptions to the patient’s pharmacy of choice
• Refills: Receive prescription renewal requests and submit responses between doctor and pharmacy
• Medication History: View aggregated medication history data from pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) upon receipt of patient consent.
• Prescription Benefit: Surescripts’ Prescription Benefit service puts eligibility, benefits and formulary information at a prescriber’s fingertips at the time of prescribing. This enables prescribers to select medications that are on formulary and are covered by the patient’s drug benefit.
• Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): Product has achieved Surescripts EPCS certification and has provided third-party audit documentation as required by the DEA.

Upon completion, healthcare software companies will be listed on the Surescripts website.

Healthcare software companies also looking for the ability to Electronically Prescribe Controlled Substances (EPCS) will need to go through a similar testing process with an approved e-Prescribing of Controlled Substances auditor such as the Drummond Group Inc., one of the first DEA approved certification bodies for EPCS.

Learn about DoseSpot’s e-Prescribing integration process by downloading our latest Integration Tool Kit.

Don’t miss the other parts of our e-Prescribing 101 series:

e-Prescribing 101, Part I: The Basics

e-Prescribing 101, Part II: Controlled Substances

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 www.DoseSpot.com.

e-Prescribing 101, Part II: Controlled Substances

Follow

To continue our e-Prescribing 101 blog series, we shine light on controlled substances. What they are, their relationship to e-Prescribing, as well as the correlation between prescription drugs and the current opioid epidemic.

What is a controlled substance?

A controlled substance is a drug or chemical, such as illicitly used drugs or prescription medications, that is regulated by a government based on the drug or chemical’s manufacture, possession, or use.

Why are certain drugs categorized as a controlled substance?

A drug is typically classified as “controlled” due to the potential detrimental effects on a person’s health and well-being. As a result, state and federal governments have seen fit to regulate such substances.

It’s for this reason that drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used to make drugs of this caliber are classified into five categories. The drug segregation is dependent upon the drug’s acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential.

What are the medication schedules for controlled substances?

Schedule I

• Drugs with no currently accepted medical use and hold a high potential for abuse.
• Examples: Heroin, Marijuana (Cannabis), LSD, and Ecstasy

Schedule II

• Includes drugs that are accepted for medical use, but have a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.
• Examples: Vicodin, OxyContin, Adderall, and Ritalin

Schedule III

• Drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence, with less abuse potential than Schedule I or Schedule II drugs.
• Examples: anabolic steroids, testosterone, and Tylenol with codeine

Schedule IV

• Drugs within this category have a low potential for abuse and dependence.
• Examples: benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Ativan), Tramadol, and Ambien

Schedule V

• The lowest schedule for controlled substances, these drugs have lower potential for abuse and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics.
• Examples: Robitussin AC, Lyrica, and Motofen

What is EPCS?

EPCS stands for the Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances and is a technology that has been put into place to help address the rising issue of prescription drug abuse in the United States.

Understanding two-factor authentication

This two-step process is part of EPCS and ensures that only an authorized prescriber can electronically sign and send controlled substance prescriptions to a pharmacy, thus increasing patient safety. The process includes the entry of something you have, such as a token generated one-time code, and something you know, like a password. There are various options for two-factor authentication including: fob tokens, mobile phone applications, smart cards, USB thumb drives, and fingerprint scanners.

What is an opioid?

Opioids are substances that act on the body’s opioid receptors to produce euphoric effects, better known as a “high”, and are most often used medically to treat moderate to severe pain that may not respond well to other pain medications.

Why are opioids so addictive?

Opioid drugs work by binding opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and other areas of the body to reduce the sending of pain messages to the brain, thus simultaneously reducing the physical feelings of said pain. They create artificial endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, which tap into the “reward” sector of someone’s brain. However, with chronic use, opioids eventually trick the brain into stopping the production of these endorphins naturally. In doing so, the tolerance level increases and a patient is left with taking more medication to achieve the same effect.

They are most dangerous when taken in certain ways to increase the “high”, such as crushing pills and then snorting or injecting the powder, or combining the pills with alcohol or drugs, especially benzodiazepines. While some patients do take them for their intended purpose, they can still risk dangerous adverse reactions by not taking them exactly as prescribed, i.e. they take more at one time, or combine them with other medications not checked by their doctor.

Unfortunately, the fear of the intense withdrawal symptoms is often the biggest culprit when it comes to patients remaining addicted and ultimately leads them to continue taking the medication even if they no longer want to.

The correlation between prescription opioids and the opioid epidemic

In 2012 alone, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills. In comparison to ten, even five years ago, this number is dramatically increasing as time goes on and more and more opioid overdoses are being reported on a daily basis.

Physicians and dentists are collectively responsible for providing 81.6% of opioid prescriptions in the United States and because of this, they have a very unique role in mitigating the impact of this opioid epidemic. Opioid addiction often starts at the hands of healthcare professionals simply trying to do their job, prescribing pain medications to relieve their patients of painful woes, especially during post-operative recovery.

While many prescriptions are meant for initial, short-term treatment, some doctors and dentists authorize refills time and time again because they want to help patients whom claim that they are still in pain. However, when the pill bottle and refills run out, patients are left seeking alternatives to create that euphoric escape they’ve become so accustomed to. This could mean an endless search of several different doctors to prescribe more substances (also known as doctor shopping), purchasing pills on the black market, or worse, turning to heroin as a cheaper and more readily available alternative.

Furthermore, the associated stigma often deters patients from receiving proper rehabilitation treatment and even if they do seek treatment, the government currently limits the number of patients a single provider may treat with drugs such as buprenorphine or methadone, which are both proven to reduce cravings and save lives. This leads to many patients relapsing.

How does e-Prescribing help?

• 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.
• Prescriber’s 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.

Don’t miss the other parts of our e-Prescribing 101 series:

e-Prescribing 101, Part I: The Basics

e-Prescribing 101, Part III: End Users

Sources: DEA; DrugAbuse.gov; FDA

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 www.DoseSpot.com.

e-Prescribing 101, Part I: The Basics

Follow

Another year has come and gone. Time to start fresh, gain new perspective, and bring it back to basics. e-Prescribing basics, that is.

During our reflection on 2016, the DoseSpot realized that there’s so much information out there regarding e-Prescribing and its different components; so many key opinion leaders and incredible resources to tap into to help educate the world about e-Prescribing. However, how could we make it easier? How can we assist those who just want to learn more about e-Prescribing in general without the endless Google searches?

That’s why we decided to create a three-part blog series covering all e-Prescribing basics; a one-stop-shop to answer all of your e-Prescribing questions and curiosities.

We can promise you this – this is one New Year’s resolution we won’t give up on.

Let’s get started.

What is e-Prescribing?

The term e-Prescribing has become a popular buzzword in the healthcare industry, but what exactly does it mean? To put it simply, electronic prescribing, known in short as e-Prescribing, is a method of prescription transaction that allows prescribers to write and send prescriptions to pharmacies electronically instead of writing, phoning-in, or faxing. It ultimately replaces the costly paper prescription pad and tamper-proof printing paper from a prescriber’s office for good.

e-Prescribing solutions have the following capabilities:

• NewRx: Route new prescriptions to the patient’s pharmacy of choice.
• Refills: Receive prescription renewal requests and submit responses between doctor and pharmacy.
• Medication History: View aggregated medication history data from pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) upon receipt of patient consent.
• Prescription Benefit: Surescripts’ Prescription Benefit service puts eligibility, benefits and formulary information at a prescriber’s fingertips at the time of prescribing. This enables prescribers to select medications that are on formulary and are covered by the patient’s drug benefit.
• Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): Product has achieved Surescripts EPCS certification and has provided third-party audit documentation as required by the DEA.

What are the benefits?

e-Prescribing is not just the ability to send prescriptions electronically to pharmacies. It can also increase care quality in a number of ways:

• Eliminates the time and effort of trying to understand the prescriber’s handwriting, as well as the chance of an error in that translation.
• Makes sure that the prescriber is providing enough specific information for the pharmacist to fill the prescription, including the name of the drug, the dosage, its physical form, the route, and the prescriber’s instructions.
• Ensures that any drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions based on a patient’s medication history are found and reported to the prescriber before the prescription order is completed.
• Checks a patient’s pharmacy benefit and associated formulary at point of care to encourage the prescriber to choose the best medication option, both medically and financially.
• Increases patient medication pick-up adherence. Between 28% and 31% of all paper prescriptions either never make it to the pharmacy, or are not picked up once patients see how much it will cost.
• Drives down healthcare costs and improves patient satisfaction by getting medications to patients in a timely, convenient, and secure manner at the patient’s pharmacy of choice.
• Curbs prescription drug abuse and increases patient safety. No longer will a patient have access to a paper prescription, therefore no more altered dispense quantities, stolen prescription pads, or lost or duplicate prescriptions.
• Lowers costs associated with purchasing expensive paper prescription pads and the time and resources spent on redundant administrative tasks.
• Simplifies clinical workflows and allows prescribers to do what they do best and spend more time with their patients.

Who can e-Prescribe?

State or provincial legislation governs who can write a prescription, and under these rulings, any licensed physician, dentist, nurse practitioner, etc. allowed to write prescriptions by hand can also prescribe electronically.

Many electronic prescribing vendors also allow the use of proxy users, such as nurses, medical assistants, or office staff. While they cannot legally send a prescription to a pharmacy, they are able to access the e-Prescribing solution and fill in all required fields of the prescription for a prescriber to then approve and send.

What pharmacies allow e-Prescribing?

All 50 states and D.C. allow the e-Prescribing of both controlled and non-controlled substances and more than 90% of pharmacies can receive e-Prescriptions. Of course this includes the larger retail pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens and mail-order pharmacies like Catamaran and Express Scripts.

Don’t miss the other parts of our e-Prescribing 101 series:

e-Prescribing 101, Part II: Controlled Substances

e-Prescribing 101, Part III: End Users

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 www.DoseSpot.com.

The Impact of Digital Health on the Ages

Follow

How does digital health affect the circle of life?

Today, a patient’s well-being rests in the hands of multiple healthcare professionals, including primary care providers, specialists and surgeons – and sometimes in their own hands with the latest medical devices and technological advances.

In keeping up with this new delivery model, it’s important to understand how people of all ages, pediatric to geriatric, attribute to the nation’s overall population health, its effects on the healthcare system and the United States’ bottom line, while also understanding how technology can play a major role.

This free eBook addresses:

• The definition of digital health, the current landscape, as well as what’s to come
• How individuals of all ages affect the health care system and how digital health can help
• Three health care specialties positioned for digital health growth
• The role of technology as we shift to value based care
• Missing pieces of the digital health offering

Download your free copy here!

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.

Docity Meets Increasing Patient Demands with Innovative Telehealth Platform and Integration of DoseSpot e-Prescribing Solution

Follow

NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MA – Docity, a veteran-owned, connected telehealth platform that enables real time HIPAA-compliant communications between healthcare providers and patients, has announced their strategic, patient-driven integration of DoseSpot’s e-Prescribing solution.

The key component of Docity’s business model is simple: to put patients first by listening to their needs and adapting a digital healthcare system based on those needs.

“Docity’s business is driven solely by the patient-centric model and DoseSpot understood that crucial factor from the very beginning,” said James Cowan, CEO, Docity. “As part of this model, Docity knew that incorporating e-Prescribing was a non-negotiable. E-Prescribing isn’t just a feature; it’s something you must have in today’s competing market.”

Prior to integrating DoseSpot, Docity was offering their connected health platform to several clinics with existing patients, but prescribing was done on the clinician’s own terms. Since the integration with DoseSpot’s e-Prescribing solution, Docity will now be able to offer a comprehensive digital platform to serve the needs of individual patients on a subscription basis.

“The integration process with DoseSpot was a breeze,” Cowan added. “Their team was very flexible and actively engaged, working around the clock to ensure that Docity met al Surescripts certification requirements in a timely manner. Furthermore, they were able to work directly with our developers and their project management tool kept everyone organized which made for a seamless process overall.”

Docity is not only meeting the increasing demands of patients and providers, but the DoseSpot integration has better leveraged relationships with key stakeholders, primarily from a compliance perspective.

“Since integrating with DoseSpot, Docity has seen significant buy-in from highly sought after individuals, providers and companies in the healthcare community who are more eager than ever to stand behind our vision,” said Cowan. “It’s a win-win for both parties.”

“Our partnership with Docity is rooted in understanding and listening to both the patients’ and providers’ demands. Patient-centricity is a current healthcare trend we are committed to upholding as the healthcare landscape continues to evolve,” said Greg Waldstreicher, CEO, DoseSpot. “As a telehealth company, Docity recognized that e-Prescribing is a key component of the value-based delivery model and should be interwoven at the forefront to create a seamless healthcare experience for all involved.”

To learn more about how Docity is meeting the demands of the healthcare community with comprehensive and innovative solutions, please visit www.DoseSpot.com or contact Shauna Leighton, Shauna@DoseSpot.com.

About Docity

Docity Health is a connect health startup headquartered in Chattanooga, TN. Their mission is to connect providers with patients and patients with their health through on demand access to healthcare. For additional information please visit www.Docity.com.

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.

DoseSpot Forecast: 3 Segments Positioned for Telehealth Growth

Follow

It’s no surprise that technology should be considered a key player as we shift to value-based care. With smartphones, tablets and computers, health information is readily available for patients with a simple click of a button. Why should a consultation with a healthcare professional be any different?

Telehealth greatly increases the scope of the healthcare industry and is bound to open huge opportunities in increasing the quality of healthcare. The ultimate goal here, is to prevent hospital readmissions through better management of individuals with chronic conditions, while also reducing associated costs. By enabling remote patient monitoring and remote access to clinicians, market growth is inevitable as awareness and implementation of standards for reimbursement and adoptions of these care models expands.

While several reports claim that “technology gets in the way of the patient experience,” patients are in fact the ones demanding such access to care. This increase in patient demand for telehealth services has prompted many companies and healthcare organizations to think outside of the box and reevaluate the patient-centric model, while questioning what that care model really means to a patient.

Well, it’s simple. Patients want a customized, cost-effective and convenient healthcare experience to which telehealth can provide.

A recent report states that the global telehealth market was valued at $14.3 Billion in 2014 and is estimated to reach $36.3 Billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 14.30% from 2014 to 2020.

With these numbers in tow, we predict the most growth in three different segments:

Behavioral Health and Addiction

As mentioned in a previous post, telehealth has the ability to bridge the gaps in care of behavioral health patients and providers. Not only does it provide a convenient, more comfortable and less expensive medical consultation, but it broadens accessibility to patients whom may not have many options when seeking a behavioral health provider, especially in rural areas. Unfortunately, the lack of psychiatrists and addiction specialists across the nation, as well as the stigma often involved, are contributing to the mental health and addiction issues and creating barriers to appropriate care.

Patients will see their primary care physician and may not receive the exact treatment plan that they need; after all, primary care physicians do not specialize in behavioral health or addiction and often, these illnesses require a lot of time and patience to which the physician may not be able to accommodate. Telehealth will be able to connect patients in need with specialists regardless of their location who know how to treat these specific health issues.

This effective care model will not only lessen the hit on the nation’s bottom line as more and more individuals grapple with suicide, addiction, and other mental health issues, but also revolutionize the way people view the stigma involved and encourage patients to seek help as they are able to receive treatment from the comfort of their own home.

Geriatric Care

Geriatric patients stand to benefit tremendously as a digital health consumer. As mobility can be especially difficult for these patients, the ability to see a physician remotely removes one of the largest barriers to care. Furthermore, transporting patients of this age may potentially do more harm than good.

With telemedicine, providers can more quickly spot at-risk patients and provide interventions to avoid an otherwise unnecessary hospital admission. Similarly, nursing homes can partner with health systems to provide bedside care for their residents at a fraction of the price of an onsite physician.

These infrastructure synergies provide connectivity with electronic health records (EHRs) and create clear communication among hospitals, senior care facilities, referring physicians and patient families. They also provide the link to population based management databases and other health care analytic functions to measure value.

Surgery

Many surgical departments find telehealth to be a more convenient and cost-effective way for pre- and post- operative instructions for procedures of all magnitudes including wisdom teeth extraction, colonoscopies, stent placement and more.

With in-person visits and paper instructions, patients may misinterpret or even forget important information relative to their surgery. This includes what medications to stop taking and how to physically prepare for surgery, while providing a clear, direct line of answers for any questions a patient may have. With instructions digitally delivered prior to surgery, telehealth reduces patient no shows and saves valuable scheduled operating room time.

For post-op patients, providers can check the patient visually, ensuring that patients are following their treatment plans and making adjustments as needed. Through this continuous connection, providers are empowered to deliver the guidance that many patients need as they go through the healing process. These virtual check-ins ensure the patient is on the road to recovery, thus reducing readmission rates all without the patient ever having to leave their home.

Furthermore, telehealth can improve treatment and medication compliance, specifically with controlled substances, i.e. pain medication. Opioid addiction often begins at the hands of a prescriber and with the nation currently facing an opioid epidemic, marrying technology and follow-up appointments when prescribing these types of medications serves as the optimal solution for the safety of all involved.

Technology should no longer be viewed as a barrier to care, but rather embraced in order to improve the healthcare industry, including the improvement of interoperability as well as patient outcomes. Telehealth not only meets the ever increasing demands of patients, but it also assists in preventative care by creating greater access to such care, thus reducing down-the-road costs and burdensome associated with chronic disease. With many chronic diseases being completely preventable, the prevent vs. treat mantra should be sound in every healthcare professional’s mind, while realizing that telehealth is a seamless way of delivering healthcare for all involved.

There may currently be barriers in place regarding reimbursement from payers, but that’s sure to change as more and more payers jump on board for this new delivery model. After all, who’s to say telehealth won’t become the norm and be known as simply….health?

Sources: American Well; OpenPR; mHealth Intelligence; Healthcare IT News

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 www.DoseSpot.com.

Bridging the Gap Between Telehealth and Behavioral Health

Follow

Improving the U.S. healthcare system requires the simultaneous pursuit of three ideals: improving the experience of care, improving the health of populations and reducing per capita costs of healthcare. “Value-based care” after all, does have its reasons behind the term. In keeping up with this new delivery model, it’s important to understand how behavioral health attributes to population health, its effects on the healthcare system and the nation’s bottom line. This is where technology can play a major role.

In a given year, nearly 44 million adults experience mental illness, with a quarter of them living with a substance use co-disorder. Increasing access to mental health professionals via technology is simply a smart solution as more and more individuals grapple with suicide, addiction, and other mental health issues. Unfortunately, the stigma often associated with mental illness is creating a barrier to treatment, but telehealth companies are realizing this enormous growth opportunity and are remaining at the forefront by providing a more convenient and less expensive medical consultation.

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

Since counseling really only requires the ability for patients and providers to speak via video or phone, utilizing telehealth applications allows patients to receive treatment without judgement in the comfort of their own home. It creates a safe space for mental health dialogue, thus aiming to reduce hospital admissions and its associated costs. Therefore, behavioral health must embrace technology and its ability to bridge the gaps in care to the benefit of patients nationwide.

To expand upon the evolving increase in technological access to care, it’s important to note that less than 50% of Americans who are prescribed medications to treat mental health conditions take them as directed, if at all, according to industry reports. Marrying telehealth and efforts such as medication adherence programs can assist a patient’s road to recovery while reducing the $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year associated with serious mental illness in America.

Sources: Health Affairs; HealthcareDIVE; National Alliance on Mental Illness; Forbes

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.

4 Signs Your Company is Ready for e-Prescribing

Follow

In a recent post, we discussed that mandatory e-Prescribing is the commonsense solution for opioid addiction across the country, but that may ignite some anxiety in companies that have yet to embrace the technology. Don’t worry, we’re here to help! With 50 states and the District of Columbia on board and ready to e-Prescribe both controlled and non-controlled substances, more and more companies and pharmacies are quickly becoming certified for electronic prescribing. Let’s take the deep dive together and evaluate your clinical workflows with these four reasons your company may be ready to upgrade to e-Prescribing:

You want to ensure patient safety and quality of care to the highest degree

When a patient comes into a provider’s office, of course the purpose is to help this patient in any which way, however how can you be absolutely certain that this patient has good intentions or yet, can remember every medication they may be taking or have taken? With e-Prescribing, you can take the guesswork out by having access to their full medication history and you will also be alerted about any potential drug-to-drug and drug-to-allergy interactions.

You want to simplify clinical workflows and enable providers to spend more time with patients

The implementation of an e-Prescribing system will reduce the time spent on pharmacy calls and faxes, while also reducing clinical errors and time spent deciphering a provider’s handwriting. The automation and electronic efficiency put in place will allow providers to do what they do best and spend more time with their patients, while also improving the value of treatment relative to patient outcomes and medication adherence.

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

You want to lower costs

Not only will you have access to a patient’s full medication history, you will also have visibility into their pharmacy benefits and associated formulary at point of care. This encourages the use of generic medications or lower cost equivalent medications which in turn has a lower out-of-pocket cost for the patient. E-Prescribing also reduces costs associated with both providers and pharmacies by saving time and resources. A study conducted by the Medical Group Management Association shows that more than $247,500 per year was spent on unnecessarily complex or redundant administrative tasks and $19,444 per year was spent on phone calls with pharmacies resolving drug formulary issues.

You want to combat prescription drug abuse

We see it on the news, we hear about it from a family member or friend, and the truth of the matter is, the controlled substances abuse epidemic, particularly with opioids, is not slowing down. The good news is, e-Prescribing can help. No longer will a patient have access to a paper prescription where it can easily be lost, stolen, or tampered with since the prescription will be sent directly to the pharmacy. Having access to their medication history will also assist providers in knowing if this patient is doctor shopping for such substances.

The benefits that electronic prescribing has to offer both providers and their patients greatly eliminates risk regarding fraud and drug abuse, as well as associated costs. Here at DoseSpot, we understand that making any type of change can be difficult, but we’ll be with you every step of the way. Our platforms are not only affordable, intuitive and easy to use, but they’re designed to integrate with any healthcare software whether it be medical, dental, or digital. Contact us today to learn more!

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.

Is Telehealth Changing the Game for Healthcare?

Follow

A study recently published by The New England Journal of Medicine stated that telehealth is positioned to revolutionize medical care. It’s fair to say that technologies are making a lot of things possible that wouldn’t have happened even a few years ago, but it’s also fair to say that this new age of telemedicine poses new risks and a few hurdles to overcome for the healthcare industry, providers, and patients alike.

One limitation that the industry is currently experiencing is the adoption of reimbursement for medical delivery systems by payers across the country, specifically the lack of coverage and “unequal” treatment of receiving care via technological advances. Luckily, certain states have put telehealth parity laws into place, thus requiring coverage and reimbursement for telehealth under private insurance, Medicaid, and workers compensation as though services were provided in person. Medicare, on the other hand, seems to be last to join the party which makes sense considering the population it serves.

Want to learn more? Download our free telehealth whitepaper!

Throughout the article, the biggest issue rings loudly: the digital divide between the industry and the populations they serve, whether that be the elderly, lower income individuals, or the less educated. These groups are less likely to have the means to participate in telehealth options. No computer or smartphone = no digital health adoption.

While there are a few bumps in the road, telehealth does serve up some benefits as well:

• Doctors across several specialties are easily accessible for patients. This helps individuals with time constraints, lack of transportation or means to visit a doctor, and includes those whom have chronic diseases that need to be monitored closely and more frequently.
• Telehealth is cost-effective. What one may pay toward their deductible or out-of-pocket maximum for an in-office visit is undoubtedly lower than an e-visit which can typically be found for $50 or less.
• E-visits will contribute to less hospital readmissions, therefore reducing overall healthcare and drug spend which is astronomical in this country.

Ultimately, telehealth is meant to be an extension of the provider’s office, not a replacement. It will enable medical professionals to meet the growing burden of chronic disease, while enhancing the patient-centric, value-based care model the United States is currently trying to implement.

What do you think of this shift to digital health? Exciting or nerve-wracking? Share your thoughts with me below!

Sources: The New England Journal of Medicine

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.