Highmark Funds E-Prescribing Initiative

Highmark Inc will contribute $26.5 millionto The Pittsburgh Foundation towardelectronic prescribing (e-prescribing)adoption. The foundation has establishedthe Highmark eHealth Collaborative toencourage the adoption of health informationused in patient care to improvepatient safety and quality while increasingcost efficiency. As its first majorundertaking, the Highmark eHealthCollaborative will provide funding tophysicians to help lower the initial cost ofacquiring e-prescribing/electronic healthrecord technology for their practices.

The University of Pittsburgh MedicalCenter will receive $8 million to supportthe e-prescribing component of its system-wide implementation of the electronichealth record. The funding will beearmarked to help physicians acquireand use electronic technology systemssuch as a personal digital assistant, electronictablet, or digital pen to generateand transmit prescriptions electronicallyto the pharmacy.

Physicians in western and centralPennsylvania must fill out an on-lineapplication at www.highmarkehealth.orgto receive funding. The collaborative willpay up to 75% of the cost for a physician'soffice to acquire, install, and implementthe system, up to a maximum of$7000, with the physician's practiceresponsible for the remaining balance.