-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of David More
Sent: Wednesday, 8 February 2006 8:55 AM

Massachusetts E-Prescribing Initiative Publicizes Results

The program, which was formed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and 
Tufts Health Plan and later joined by Neighborhood Health Plan, has provided 
PDAs and e-prescribing software to 3,400 physicians in Massachusetts. The 
organizations have spent more than $3 million on the initiative. 

***
David More noted:

Note this is not just printing prescription - this is e-signed scripts sent to 
the pharmacist to be filled when the patient walk in. No paper involved. 

***

And note that it is only prescribing - NOT a complete medical record.  I 
understand that using computers for all clinical record functions, like many 
Australian GPs now do, is still quite rare in the US, and that almost all GPs 
and other doctors still write on paper, with some of those paper notes being 
typed into computer systems by data entry clerks.

The important message in this report is that using computers even just for 
prescribing is considered to be worthwhile.  The article implies that the 
scheme may have saved more than it costs to install and use, and that it is 
considered worthwhile in terms of quality of care and increased safety of care.

Oliver Frank, general practitioner 
255 North East Road, Hampstead Gardens 
South Australia 5086 
Ph. 08 8261 1355  Fax 08 8266 5149 
 
_______________________________________________
Gpcg_talk mailing list
[email protected]
http://ozdocit.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gpcg_talk

Reply via email to