Initiative Promotes E-Prescribing

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions and Horizon Healthcare Services Inc have joined forces to encourage more physicians to use electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) and take the first steps to full clinical automation. For the next 2 years, Allscripts will target physicians within the Horizon Healthcare Services Inc network to offer Allscripts' TouchScript e-prescribing solution. Horizon's technology initiative will provide selected physicians with Allscripts software, wireless network components, Pocket PC devices, and high-speed Internet connections, all at no additional cost.

The e-prescribing will allow Horizon physicians to quickly create and send prescriptions from the examining room directly to the patient's pharmacy using a laptop, desktop computer, or wireless Pocket PC or Table PC device. The end goal is to increase patient safety, reduce errors, limit the time spent on pharmacy callbacks to physicians, and improve office efficiency. TouchScript will connect Horizon physicians to a single, integrated network that includes patients, pharmacists, and payers.

"Electronic prescribing is not only safer than traditional pen-and-pad prescribing, but it also reduces the hassle factor associated with phone calls from pharmacies to physicians," said Glen Tullman, chief executive officer of Allscripts. "This results in more cost-effective health care with lower copays for patients. It also provides an onramp for physicians to fully automate practices," he added.