The Promise - - and the Reality - - of ePrescribing

Electronic prescribing (ePrescribing; eRx) has shown the potential to greatly improve patient safety, care quality and cost effectiveness, but there are numerous challenges to implementation, and adoption has not been widespread. This paper aims to explore the various issues that must be addressed to insure that ePrescribing processes work efficiently and effectively to realize full benefit. Historically, achieving broad eRx adoption and use has been described as “low-hanging fruit,” because of the benefits that would be expected to result from the confluence of specific organizational interests (provider, health plan, pharmacy); but while these benefits have been realized in many locales, ePrescribing has not been broadly adopted. The process continues to be dependent on both the coordinated actions of many stakeholders and the continuing evolution of standards, capabilities and competencies to insure that robust and stably performing ePrescribing data transmission and work flow processes are the rule rather than the exception.