Pharmacy Groups Launch e-Health Coalition

A group of pharmacy associations announced a joint effort to assert pharmacy’s role in the implementation of health information technology.

As the nation’s health care providers move toward full implementation of electronic health records (EHR), a group of pharmacy associations is working to ensure that the interests of pharmacists are represented going forward.

The Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative was launched by 9 pharmacy associations with the mission to create “a comprehensive and unified approach, ensuring optimal integration of pharmacy’s requirements and contributions into the electronic health record.”

Rachelle Spiro, RPh, FASCP, was appointed director of the collaborative. She currently serves as president of Spiro Consulting, Inc, a consulting firm that specializes in long-term and post acute care pharmacy services and health information technology.

Involvement of pharmacists in EHR discussions is essential for patient care, both now and in the future, according to Tom Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, ScD, chief executive officer and executive vice president of the American Pharmacists Association. Menighan will also serve as chair of the collaborative.

"In order for patients to receive optimal care, pharmacists need to have the ability to access and contribute to relevant, patient-specific information from the EHR. The work of the Collaborative will focus on achieving this goal,” he said in a press release.

The 9 founding organizations represent pharmacists from nearly all practice settings. For more information on the collaborative, including a full list of member organizations, visit the Web site of the National Community Pharmacists Association.

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