E-Prescribing Used by More than Half of Office-Based Doctors

Surescripts, an e-prescribing network provider based out of Arlington, Va., reported recently that 52 percent of office-based doctors now use e-prescribing. Surescripts reported the following statistics, tracking the growth of e-prescribing nationwide:

• 52 percent (291,000) of all office-based physicians now actively use e-prescribing compared with fewer than 10 percent three years ago
• There are 357,000 active prescribers on the Surescripts network (including office-based physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants)
• 94 percent of retail pharmacies nationwide are now connected and receiving e-prescriptions

Top 10 States With Highest Rates of E-Prescribing
1. Massachusetts
2. Delaware
3. Michigan
4. Connecticut
5. Rhode Island
6. Pennsylvania
7. South Dakota*
8. Iowa*
9. Oregon*
10. North Carolina*
*New to the top 10

According to the results of Surescripts’ annual audit of electronic prescribing use across all states, it was determined that prescribers in the Bay State used e-prescribing for 43 percent of all prescriptions in 2010, thereby helping to avoid medication errors due to poor handwriting and similar drug names. What’s more, 41 percent of patient visits benefit from electronic access to a patient’s medication history, which helps doctors and their patients avoid potentially harmful drug interactions. For this accomplishment, Massachusetts was recognized at the sixth annual Safe-Rx Awards along with nine other states that made the greatest use of e-prescribing in 2010. To view the complete ranking of all states, go to www.surescripts.com/safe-rx.