December 2011 Press Release

December 2011 Archive Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michelle Fritts
202.429.7558; mfritts@aphanet.org
December 9, 2011

Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative Releases “The Roadmap for Pharmacy Health Information Technology Integration in U.S. Health Care”

WASHINGTON, DC – The Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative (Collaborative) today announced the release of a whitepaper: The Roadmap for Pharmacy Health Information Technology Integration in U.S. Health Care. The Roadmap formalizes the priorities of the pharmacy profession in relation to HIT for the next four years to assure electronic health records facilitate safe and effective medication use. It also provides guidance to provider organizations, policymakers, vendors, payers and other stakeholders involved in the integration of pharmacy health information technology (HIT) into the national HIT infrastructure.

The Roadmap outlines the pharmacy sector’s HIT goals for the next four years, including pharmacists’ roles in care delivery, electronic prescribing (e-prescribing), medication therapy management (MTM) and immunizations. It describes how pharmacists contribute to the meaningful use of EHR quality measures, EHR certification and adoption and HIT effectiveness. Further, the Roadmap provides evidence demonstrating improved quality outcomes as a result of pharmacist-provided patient care services. Finally, the Roadmap summarizes the value of the pharmacist’s role in HIT by identifying those pharmacy services and functions with the highest priorities for action to ensure the successful integration of pharmacy HIT into the national EHR infrastructure.

“The Roadmap is a comprehensive document encompassing pharmacists’ meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) in all practice settings,” stated Shelly Spiro, Director, eHIT Collaborative. “Adoption of EHRs by pharmacists will help optimize safe and effective medication use for our patients by facilitating access to electronic medication related information within the health care interdisciplinary team.”

The Collaborative will be hosting a webinar to outline the Roadmap on Monday, December 12, 2011, from 3:00p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (EST). Shelly Spiro, Director, Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative, will be the speaker. To attend this webinar please register at: www1.gotomeeting.com/register/647515137.

The Roadmap for Pharmacy Health Information Technology Integration in U.S. Health Care is available free of charge on the Collaborative’s website.

About the Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative
The Collaborative is focused on influencing the structure, development and implementation of the U.S. health HIT infrastructure to assure safe, efficient, and effective medication use through pharmacist-provided patient care services working with the interdisciplinary patient care team. Founded by nine pharmacist organizations, the Collaborative seeks to ensure that the pharmacist’s role of providing patient care services is integrated into the National HIT interoperable framework. The founding organizations of the Collaborative represent pharmacists working in all patient care settings within the health care system, in addition to many other facets of pharmacy including pharmacy education and pharmacy education accreditation. For more information, visit www.pharmacyhit.org/.

Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative Announces New Members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michelle Fritts
202.429.7558; mfritts@aphanet.org
December 1, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC – The Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative (Collaborative) today announced the joining of two new associate members. The primary work of the Collaborative is to ensure the meaningful use of standardized electronic health records (EHR) that support safe, efficient and effective medication use, continuity of care and provide access to the patient-care services of pharmacists with other members of the interdisciplinary patient care team. Associate members are companies that wish to contribute to the issues put forth and the overall mission of the Collaborative, but do not have voting privileges.

The Collaborative’s new Associate Members include:

  • Mirixa
    The Mirixa Corporation, sponsored by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), is the leader in targeted patient care services delivered via the nation’s largest pharmacy‐based patient care network. Dedicated to improving patients’ health, Mirixa enables the health care community to deliver patient care services through retail pharmacy. The MirixaPro℠ web‐based clinical platform is used by pharmacists to deliver standardized patient care services.
  • ScriptPro
    ScriptPro, provides robotics-based management, workflow and telepharmacy systems to help pharmacies lower operating costs, reduce dispensing errors and maximize customer satisfaction. ScriptPro technology helps pharmacies operate efficiently, safely and profitably, so they can make the maximum contribution to the healthcare system.

“Recognition of the pharmacist’s role as a stakeholder in collaborative patient care delivery is quickly growing,” notes Rick Solano, CEO, Mirixa Corporation. “To be part of the team of providers, the pharmacist has to have the technological tools that enable data capture, integration and authorized sharing. Mirixa is pleased to contribute our technical and clinical expertise to the Collaborative as it works to ensure pharmacists get connected and that standards are established.”

“ScriptPro recognizes the fundamental importance of promoting the development and use of standardized electronic health records throughout the U.S. healthcare system,” stated Michael E. Coughlin, President and CEO, ScriptPro. “We appreciate the leadership of the Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative, and we are pleased to be able to share experiences and perspectives with this group.”

Formed in the fall of 2010, the Collaborative is focused on improving patient care quality and outcomes, through the integration of pharmacists’ patient care services into the national health information technology (HIT) infrastructure. The group is pursuing EHR standards that effectively support the delivery, documentation of and billing for pharmacist-provided patient care services across all care settings. The Collaborative influences HIT policy through unified, consistent communications to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and other HIT organizations about pharmacist-provided patient care services and pharmacists’ contributions to the CMS and ONC defined meaningful use of EHR.

About the Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative
The Collaborative is focused on influencing the structure, development and implementation of the U.S. health HIT infrastructure to assure safe, efficient, and effective medication use through pharmacist-provided patient care services working with the interdisciplinary patient care team. Founded by nine pharmacist organizations, the Collaborative seeks to ensure that the pharmacist’s role of providing patient care services is integrated into the National HIT interoperable framework. The founding organizations of the Collaborative represent pharmacists working in all patient care settings within the health care system, in addition to many other facets of pharmacy including pharmacy education and pharmacy education accreditation. For more information, visit www.pharmacye-hit.org/.