CVS Caremark, Blue Cross of N.J. hit milestone in e-prescribing adoption
WOONSOCKET, R.I. —Crossing a significant threshold in the ongoing campaign by healthcare providers to convert the nation’s physicians to paperless prescribing, CVS Caremark and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey announced this month that together, the two firms had processed 5.5 million electronic prescriptions since 2004.
That makes the conversion effort by the two companies one of the largest single-payer e-prescribing initiatives in the country. It also bolsters CVS’ credibility among health plan payers, particularly its claim that the chain—and its Caremark pharmacy benefit management division—are able to provide cost-effective healthcare solutions for health plan payers through the application of advanced technology.
The move to paperless prescribing among physicians taking part in the CVS/Blue Cross initiative in New Jersey also appears to be accelerating. In 2008, doctors serving the benefit program wrote nearly 2 million prescriptions, a 20% increase compared with 2007.
“Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is a leader in the e-prescribing movement,” asserted Troyen Brennan, CVS Caremark’s chief medical officer and EVP. “We see the N.J. provider community as an industry bellwether in using technology to improve safety and compliance for its patients.”
More than 1,000 prescribers in New Jersey are using CVS Caremark’s proprietary iScribe e-prescribing system. Another 2,500 are accessing e-prescribing services through another stand-alone handheld or Web-based e-prescribing tool or as a component of their electronic medical record through a hospital or medical system.
“The highest prescribers in our network are using iScribe for 75% to 80% of their prescriptions. Across the spectrum of prescribers that we support, we are driving to industry-leading usage levels. That translates to significant savings and safety benefits for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey patients,” said Richard Popiel, chief medical officer and VP of Horizon BCBSNJ.
Addressing the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society annual summit earlier this month, CVS Caremark EVP Helena Foulkes discussed how the company implements technology to enhance healthcare outcomes. The combination of health technology and customized, face-to-face interaction between pharmacists and patients, she said, can significantly improve medication compliance and engage consumers in their own health care.
“In today’s wired world, consumers are exposed to a lot of information about their healthcare options from a variety of sources and in a number of different formats,” Foulkes stated. “Given the complexities of the healthcare system in general, this fragmented approach can leave consumers confused and unsure about what they need to do to stay healthy.
“CVS Caremark’s Proactive Pharmacy Care approach leverages a number of different technology tools to engage and educate our patients and their healthcare providers about their pharmacy healthcare needs earlier in the process,” Foulkes explained.