National report shows surge in e-prescribing among health practitioners

ARLINGTON, VA – By the end of 2011, 58 percent of office-based physicians were using e-prescribing, with solo practitioners contributing the most significant growth, according to Surescripts, which released today “The National Progress Report on E-Prescribing and Interoperable Healthcare Year 2011.”

Included in the report is data analysis that documents the prevalence of e-prescribing adoption and use in the United States from 2008 through 2011.

The report is the only one of its kind in the U.S. that tracks adoption and frequency of e-prescribing nationwide. Two studies also included in the report measure both the effects of e-prescribing on medication adherence and examine e-prescribing use to determine the attainability for the e-prescribing measure in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of meaningful use.

By the end of 2011, 58 percent of office-based physicians were using e-prescribing. Adoption rates were shown to be the highest – at 55 percent – among smaller practices with six to 10 physicians, and practices with two to five physicians totaled to 53 percent.

Solo practitioners contributed the most significant growth to physician adoption – from 31 percent in 2010 up to 46 percent in 2011.

Among specialty groups, e-prescribing adoption rates were highest among internists at 81 percent, endocrinologists at 78 percent, cardiologists at 76 percent and 75 percent for family practitioners.

Other highlights from the report include:

The number of electronic prescriptions in 2011 increased to 570 million, up from 326 million e-prescriptions in 2010. By the end of 2011, an estimated 36 percent of prescriptions dispensed were routed electronically, up from 22 percent at the end of 2010.A recently completed analysis shows that of the physicians who adopted and began using e-prescribing in 2008, up to 60 percent have successfully met the Stage 1 meaningful use e-prescribing measure and 38 percent of these early users would meet the proposed Stage 2 meaningful use e-prescribing measure if it were now in effect. Also observed in the results was the increase in e-prescriptions per active e-prescriber over time. In first quarter 2008, there was an average of 49 per month. By fourth quarter 2011, the study group averaged 213 per month.In 2011, Surescripts partnered with PBMs and retail pharmacies to compare the effectiveness of e-prescriptions and paper prescriptions on first-fill medication adherence. The data showed a consistent 10 percent increase in patient first-fill medication adherence (i.e., new prescriptions that were picked up by the patient) among physicians who adopted e-prescribing technology. The analysis suggests the increase in first-fill medication adherence combined with other e-prescribing benefits could lead to between $140 billion and $240 billion in healthcare cost savings and improved health outcomes over the next 10 years.

In addition to tracking numerous measures of health IT adoption and use, the report also discusses the future of e-prescribing, the value of prescription benefit information and how industry collaboration is driving continuous improvements in electronic prescription quality. For a downloadable copy of "The National Progress Report on E-Prescribing and Interoperable Healthcare, Year 2011" go to www.surescripts.com/report.