OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and CHICAGO, July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Studies
indicate that a key barrier to the adoption of electronic prescribing is the
reluctance of physicians to change their workflow of pulling out a
prescription pad and handing patients a paper prescription. Through a new
initiative launched by Sprint (NYSE: S) and Allscripts (Nasdaq: MDRX),
physicians now have the option to use a Sprint smartphone to generate
electronic prescriptions, without physically leaving the exam room.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061005/ALLSCRIPTSLOGO-b)
As part of this new initiative, Sprint will donate a customized PCS
Vision(SM) Smart Device PPC-6700 to 1,000 licensed prescribers who register
for the National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative(SM) (NEPSI SM) and
activate NEPSI’s Web-based eRx NOW(SM) electronic prescribing software before
September 15, 2007. Recipients of the smartphone will also benefit from a 15
percent discount on the required Sprint two-year voice and data plans.
“Physicians are a mobile workforce and they need tools that let them
function without being restricted to a desk and computer,” said Bill
Montgomery, national director of healthcare for Sprint. “The ability to
ePrescribe through a customized Sprint smartphone will allow physicians to
increase their workflow substantially and enhance their productivity while
reducing errors, resulting in improved patient care.”
Allscripts and Sprint are making it even simpler for physicians to
electronically prescribe by embedding a “smart e-button” directly onto the
phone’s screen, allowing prescribers to launch directly into the eRx NOW
application with one touch. The PPC-6700 includes Windows Mobile 5.0,
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and broadband-like speed capability.
“As a solo practitioner, I have found that eRx NOW saves me time and also
increases patient safety by informing me of any drug interactions or problems
with formulary adherence,” said Steven Zuckerman, MD, a solo-practice
neurologist in Baton Rogue, LA and a juror for the Certification Commission
for Healthcare Information Technology. “I am particularly excited about the
Sprint offering because now I will be able to extend the function of NEPSI to
wherever and whenever I interact with patients, whether in my office exam
room, at the hospital bedside or even at home while on call.”
The NEPSI program is a coalition of the nation’s leading healthcare and
technology companies, including Allscripts and Sprint, who joined in an effort
to improve patient safety by offering free electronic prescribing technology
to every physician in America.
“Medication errors represent a significant challenge for our nation and we
know we can and we must do better by taking action — right now,” said Glen
Tullman, Co-Chair of NEPSI and Chief Executive Officer of Allscripts. “We’re
thankful that Sprint has stepped up to offer this substantial encouragement
for healthcare providers to join NEPSI in realizing its remarkable vision
— that providing free electronic prescribing for every provider will
ultimately reduce errors and improve care for millions of Americans.”
The NEPSI coalition was launched in January to address the public crisis
surrounding preventable medication errors, which injure at least 1.5 million
Americans and claim more than 7,000 lives each year, according to a July 2006
study by the nonprofit Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM report called on
all of the nation’s physicians to adopt electronic prescribing, which has been
shown to prevent such errors. NEPSI provides simple, safe and secure
electronic prescribing at no cost.
The coalition’s sponsors include co-leaders Allscripts and Dell Computers;
technology sponsors Cisco, Fujitsu, and Microsoft; healthcare sponsors Aetna,
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, NaviMedix, Smart ID Works, and
WellPoint; information sponsor Wolters Kluwer Health; connectivity sponsors
SureScripts and eRx Networks; search sponsor Google; and Sprint.
The backbone of the NEPSI program is eRx NOW, web-based software from
Allscripts powered by the same engine that more than 30,000 physicians use to
write millions of electronic prescriptions each year. Designed to appeal to
physicians in solo practice or small groups, eRx NOW is available free to any
healthcare provider with legal authority to prescribe medications, and
requires no download, no new hardware, and minimal training. The product can
quickly generate secure electronic prescriptions from any web-enabled
computer, phone or other device and deliver them computer-to-computer or via
electronic fax to nearly 70,000 retail pharmacies — more than 95 percent of
all U.S. pharmacies — via SureScripts and eRx Networks. All prescriptions are
instantly checked for potentially harmful interactions with a patient’s other
medications using a real-time complete medication database provided by Wolters
Kluwer Health, as well as real-time notification of insurance formulary status
from leading payers, plans and pharmacy benefit managers. Clinicians also can
use eRx NOW to search and find targeted health-related information for
themselves or patients using the NEPSI Custom Search Engine from Google.
Physicians who are interested in taking advantage of this offer can visit
the NEPSI web site, http://www.NationaleRx.com to register for the program.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline
communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers,
businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for
developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two
robust wireless networks serving 53.6 million customers at the end of
first-quarter 2007; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national
and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet
backbone. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com.
About NEPSI
The National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative (NEPSI) is a coalition
of the nation’s most prominent technology companies and leading healthcare
organizations dedicated to improving patient safety by providing free access
to simple, safe and secure electronic prescribing for every physician in
America. The coalition is led by Allscripts (Nasdaq: MDRX) and national
sponsor Dell, as well as sponsors Aetna, Cisco Systems, Fujitsu, Google,
Microsoft, NaviMedix, Sprint Nextel, Smart ID Works, SureScripts, eRx
Networks, WellPoint, and Wolters Kluwer Health. The NEPSI offering also is
supported by a growing number of academic medical centers, integrated delivery
networks and physician groups across the US who are leading the rollout of the
NEPSI electronic prescribing solution, eRx NOW, within their states and
regions. For more information, visit NEPSI on the web at
http://www.NationaleRx.com. eRx(R) is a federally registered trademark
belonging to eRx Network, LLC, and Allscripts’ use is pursuant to license.
About Allscripts
Allscripts is the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and
information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare. The Company’s
business units provide unique solutions that inform, connect and transform
healthcare. Allscripts award-winning software applications include Electronic
Health Records, practice management, e-prescribing, document imaging,
emergency department, and care management solutions, all offered through the
Company’s Clinical Solutions units. Additionally, Allscripts provides clinical
product education and connectivity solutions for physicians and patients
through its Physicians Interactive(TM) unit, and medication fulfillment
services through its Medication Services unit. To learn more, visit Allscripts
on the web at https://www.allscripts.com.
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements about Allscripts
Healthcare Solutions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements
are developed by combining currently available information with Allscripts
beliefs and assumptions. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future
performance. Because Allscripts cannot predict all of the risks and
uncertainties that may affect it, or control the ones it does predict,
Allscripts’ actual results may be materially different from the results
expressed in its forward-looking statements. For a more complete discussion of
the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may affect Allscripts, see the
Company’s 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K, available through the Web site
maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov.
SOURCE Allscripts
-0- 07/24/2007
/CONTACT: Dan Michelson, Chief Marketing Officer +1-312-506-1217,
dan.michelson@allscripts.com, or Todd Stein, Senior ManagerPublic Relations,
+1-312-506-1216, todd.stein@allscripts.com, both of Allscripts; or Sukhi Sahni
of Sprint Nextel, +1-703-592-7779, sukhi.sahni@sprint.com/
/Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061005/ALLSCRIPTSLOGO-b
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com /
/Web site: https://www.allscripts.com
http://www.NationaleRx.com
http://www.sprint.com /
(MDRX S)
CO: Allscripts; Sprint Nextel; National ePrescribing Patient Safety
Initiative; NEPSI
ST: Illinois
IN: CPR CSE HEA MTC
SU: PDT
BL-AE
-- AQTU059 --
8355 07/24/2007 09:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com