Surescripts Electronic Prescribing Arrives
for RNA Helix Pharmacy System
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Dallas, Texas (January 21, 2010) - The Helix Pharmacy System developed by RNA® Health Information Systems (www.rnahealth.com) today announces the certification of its Helix Pharmacy System as being Surescripts compliant. RNA was the original developer of management software for closed-door and combo pharmacies servicing long-term care facilities.
“Providing our community with the highest standard of care is what RNA Pharmacy Solutions is all about,” says Duke Yetter, RNA President and CEO. “That’s why we’re so excited about our Surescripts electronic prescribing capability. Now is the right time to start e-prescribing.”
As of October 1, 2008, electronic prescriptions are excluded from the requirement to have all written Medicaid prescriptions on tamper-resistant blanks. In addition, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) contains financial incentives starting in 2009 to encourage the adoption of e-prescribing technology as well as penalties for not adopting by 2012.
MIPPA reinforces the growing importance being placed on e-prescribing as a way to improve safety and accuracy in the prescribing process. E-prescribing provides physicians with more information at the point of care to determine the most clinically appropriate and cost effective medication for each patient. For patients, e-prescribing reduces the possibility of medication errors while making it easier, more convenient and economical to fill a prescription.
In addition, e-prescribing holds the potential to significantly improve efficiency by streamlining prescription renewal authorizations. Refill requests can be delivered to your e-prescribing application for authorization. This allows you to avoid many of the time consuming phone calls and faxes, saving you and your staff time.
As a first step to learn about e-prescribing, visit www.surescripts.com. At this site you can generate a customized Guide to Selecting E-Prescribing Technology. The guide includes listings of e-prescription solutions that may qualify for the MIPPA program, questions to ask the vendors as you begin evaluating various solutions, and an estimate of the time and money you are currently spending annually managing the refill authorization process.
Surescripts.com also provides an E-Prescribing Readiness Assessment for practices that may be using an electronic medical record (EMR) system to print or fax prescriptions. The assessment will let you know whether or not your EMR system is certified for e-prescribing communication with payers, pharmacy benefits managers and pharmacies.
For more information on this e-prescribing and Surescript, contact RNA Health Information Systems at 800-762-9378.
Long Term Care 
