SOS Rx

Electronic Prescribing Campaign Update

January 12, 2005

1) Overview  - This effort seeks to achieve two primary objectives: A) increasing
consumer awareness about the benefits of electronic prescribing, and
B) encouraging consumers to become more engaged in the promotion of its use.

2) Recent Subcommittee Activities - In order to implement the first point, the Coalition needs to coalesce around some fundamental principles of how electronic prescribing contributes value.  Based on an initial round of discussions with some of our subcommittee members, we have come up with the four points below.  These points are meant to characterize the benefits associated with current electronic prescribing systems, and are listed in no particular order of importance.  In addition, they were not written in “consumer friendly” language (i.e., these are not the actual consumer messages). 

SOS Rx supports electronic prescribing because:

q By eliminating handwritten prescriptions, it reduces communication errors
between physicians and pharmacists.

q It allows for physicians to identify applicable patients in the event of
a need to communicate important product safety information.

q It enables drug interaction checking beyond what physicians could
reasonably do on their own.

q It enables rapid transmission of prescriptions from physicians to
pharmacies, thereby enhancing efficiency and potentially reducing pharmacy
wait times.

3) Group Discussion of Principles…

4) Next Steps – Secure funding to move forward…

q Pending the availability of funding to proceed with the next phase of the campaign, we are now well positioned to: a) conduct quantitative research to explore consumers’ baseline awareness and understanding of electronic prescribing, b) craft messages – based on the established principles – for a consumer audience, and c) test these messages through qualitative research efforts (e.g., consumer focus groups and interviews).

q Continue to engage other groups (including government agencies) in the discussion about the importance of the consumer role in advancing electronic prescribing, and the need for an education campaign.