E-Prescribing Resource Center
The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) is here to support your efforts in acquiring and using e-prescribing technology. We have helpful resources and tools to help you and your medical group practice make a smooth transition to e-prescribing.
Latest News
MGMA Advocacy
Background and Getting Started
Resources
Latest News on E-prescribing
For more news on e-prescribing and other heathcare issues, vists the MGMA Washington Connexion archive.
MGMA advocacy
To see all of MGMA's advocacy efforts, vists the Advocacy Archive.
Background and Getting Started
What is e-prescribing?
Prescribing without paper or fax and when a prescriber uses a computer or hand held device with software that allows them to:
- With a patient's consent, electronically access information regarding a patient's drug benefit coverage and medication history
- Electronically transmit the prescription to the patient's choice of pharmacy
- When the patient runs out of refills, their pharmacist can also electronically send a renewal request to the physician's office for approval
- Support entire medication management process – prescribe, transmit, dispense, administer, monitor
- On-demand Webinar: Introduction to Electronic Prescribing
How to access:
- Type in your name and click on the View Recording button (No recording key is required)
- Type in your e-mail and company name
- Click on View Recording
- Click on View Icon for Microsoft Office Live Meeting Replay
Why is e-prescribing important?
- E-prescribing creates a safer, more secure and accurate prescribing process for patients
- E-prescribing enables more cost effective prescribing decisions given access to formulary and pharmacy benefit eligibility information at the time of prescribing
- E-prescribing improves practice efficiency. It allows practices to manage prescription refill requests electronically. This can significantly reduce the number of phone calls and faxes associated with this process, leaving more time for patient care or other reimbursable activity.
In fact, an MGMA study shows that the administrative complexity related to managing prescription refill requests just by phone alone can cost practices more than $10,000 per year per physician.
Source: 2004 MGMA – Analyzing cost of administrative complexity in group practice
What incentives are in place to help adopt e-prescribing?
Learn how to navigate new e-presecribing incentives and penalties in 2011
CMS develops Website on EHR incentive programs
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (economic stimulus bill) provides $17 billion in incentive payments to adopt health information technology (HIT). A key incentive focuses on e-prescribing.
Plus, beginning in 2009 and during the following four years, Medicare will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals who are successful electronic prescribers as defined by the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA).
Eligible professionals will receive 2 percent incentive payments in 2009 and 2010; 1 percent incentive payments in 2011 and 2012; and a 0.5 percent incentive payment in 2013.
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
beyond
|
Incentive
|
2%
|
2%
|
1%
|
1%
|
0.5%
|
none
|
Penalty
|
none
|
none
|
none
|
1%
|
1.5%
|
2%
|
How do I get started?
To help our members get started with e-prescribing, MGMA is collaborating with other leading medical societies to provide free E-Prescribing Readiness Assessments through a special program Web site.
On-demand Webinar:Electronic Prescribing: Best Practices for Implementation and Utilization
How to access:
- Type in your name and click on the View Recording button (No recording key is required)
- Type in your e-mail and company name
- Click on View Recording
- Click on View Icon for Microsoft Office Live Meeting Replay
Resources
UPDATED: Tips for Avoiding the 2013 E-prescribing Penalty 
New CMS User Manual
E-prescribing in 2012 - New year, new requirements, new penalties
The e-Health Initiatives' 2011Clinician's Guide to E-Prescribing – a comprehensive guide for practices covering acquisition, implementation and utilization of e-prescribing technology
CMS Claims-Based Reporting Principles for E-Prescribing Incentive Program – Includes illustration of G-Code position on claim
CMS Services: E-prescribing Web site
CMS Overview of the E-prescribing Incentive Program
Key provisions of the DEA regulation on e-prescribing of controlled substances
AHRQ funded e-prescribing pilot projects
A list of projects on implementation and evaluation of e-prescribing technologies, funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
Understanding the Benefits of E-Prescribing – find out what e-prescribing is and how it can benefit your practice
Electronic Prescribing Guide – a guide to assist you in developing your e-prescribing processes and establish connectivity between your practice and your pharmacies
E-prescribing: Becoming a Mainstream Practice – provides an overview of progress over the past four years and the anticipated momentum in continued growth in e-prescribing
E-Prescribing Best Practices – learn about best practices separated into those that apply during implementation of e-prescribing and those that may apply post implementation