Alliance Promotes E-prescribing

AmerisourceBergen Corp and Allscriptsare working together to supportthe adoption and connectivity of electronicprescribing (e-prescribing) inresponse to provisions of the MedicareModernization Act (MMA) and the recommendationsof the Commission onSystemic Interoperability for connectingpatients' health information.

Using the companies' health care solutions,the partnership will concentrate onsupplying health care providers withauthorized electronic access to patientmedication records and drug monitoringacross all fields of health care. Thegroundbreaking solution is expected tobe an early step toward developing theinteroperable medication record, whichwill improve clinical, financial, and operationalefficiencies in the US health caredelivery system.

Under the terms of alliance,AmerisourceBergen is acquiring the rightto issue licenses for the entire portfolioof Allscripts clinical software products(eg, TouchWorks Rx+ and ePrescribingapplications) for distribution to AmerisourceBergen customers. TouchWorksRx+ allows a medical group to commencewith e-prescribing and then easilytransition to a complete electronichealth record, depending on the needs ofthe medical group.

The Allscripts solutions will aid pharmacies,physicians, and health systemsin meeting the terms of the new Healthand Human Services (HHS) regulationssupporting e-prescribing for MedicarePart D. The MMA now requires pharmacistsparticipating in the new prescriptiondrug benefit to support e-prescribing.HHS is creating standards and steps topromote the adoption of e-prescribing.