NCPA releases new HIT report

NEW YORK The adoption of electronic health records, electronic prescribing and other health information technology isn’t just for regional and nationwide chains, but for small, independent pharmacies as well, and it’s something that needs to happen on a grand, nationwide scale.

That’s why the National Community Pharmacists Association released its report, “Health Information Technology and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: A Road Map for Community Pharmacy,” urging independent pharmacies to “immediately” begin preparing for an electronic healthcare environment.

Many independent pharmacies already have adopted health-information technologies, such as point-of-sale systems and interactive voice response systems, the next generation of which not only will allow patients to set up prescriptions for pickup 24 hours a day, but will also allow doctors to prescribe over the phone.