National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative Names New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch Winner of the First ‘NEPSI Leadership Award’
Governor Honored for Founding Initiative to Enable Every New Hampshire Doctor to Electronically Prescribe Medications
CHICAGO (October 15, 2007) –
Allscripts, (Nasdaq: MDRX), the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare, today announced that New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch has been awarded the first “NEPSI Leadership Award” from the National Electronic Prescribing Patient Safety Initiative (NEPSI), a coalition of the nation’s leading healthcare and technology organizations who joined to provide free electronic prescribing technology for every physician in America. Gov. Lynch was recognized for his efforts to improve patient safety and reduce medication errors by creating the New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative. The New Hampshire initiative recently launched a statewide electronic prescribing program for every physician office in the Granite State, in partnership with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in New Hampshire (Anthem), and with the support of Sprint and NEPSI.
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“We salute Governor Lynch for his leadership in creating the New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative, and for his visionary support of ePrescribing as a means of enhancing patient safety,” said NEPSI Co-Chair and Allscripts Chief Executive Officer Glen Tullman. “Last Fall, Governor Lynch announced his goal to make New Hampshire the first state in the nation where all health care providers can prescribe medications electronically. In taking unprecedented action to help reach that goal, Governor Lynch has set an example that we hope all of the nation’s governors will emulate.”
NEPSI is led by Allscripts and national sponsor Dell Computers, Inc., the world’s leading computer company. Other companies sponsoring NEPSI include Aetna, Cisco Systems, eRx Networks, Fujitsu Computers of America, Google — the coalition’s Search Sponsor — Horizon BCBS of New Jersey, Microsoft, NaviMedix, Quest Diagnostics, Sprint Nextel, SureScripts, Anthem parent company WellPoint, and Wolters Kluwer Health.
Electronic prescribing enables a licensed practitioner to generate a prescription electronically and then transmit it securely to a pharmacy. The New Hampshire program offers physicians free access to eRx NOW(TM) — the web-based NEPSI electronic prescribing application provided free of charge by Allscripts — a free mobile pocket PC from Sprint Nextel, and a discounted Sprint wireless telecommunication plan that will enable them to access real-time patient eligibility, formulary, and medication history information from any internet enabled PC, or anywhere a cell phone signal is available. Physicians with these tools can write and renew prescriptions anytime, anywhere, for all of their patients, not just Anthem members.
“Moving to electronic prescriptions is an important step forward in improving health care efficiency, controlling costs, reducing medical errors and increasing patient safety,” said Gov. Lynch. “With e-prescribing, physicians and their office staffs will benefit from access to online information about potential hazardous drug-to-drug interactions and drug allergy reactions, making it easier to prescribe the right drug, with the proper dosage, the first time.”
State Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, said electronic prescribing is a significant improvement to the lives of parents like her who have a chronically ill child. “As the mother of a young man who has nine doctors and at least fifteen prescription medications, I am very enthusiastic about ePrescribing,” Sen. Hassan said. “Patients and families need a safe, high quality, and efficient medical system, that respects their time and quality of life and the New Hampshire program represents a significant step towards achieving that. I congratulate Governor Lynch for well deserved recognition and salute the National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative.”
Frank Opelka, M.D., NEPSI Co-Chair, Chief Executive Officer of LSU Healthcare Network in New Orleans, and Associate Dean for Healthcare Quality and Safety at Louisiana State University Medical School, added his congratulations, saying “Gov. Lynch’s endorsement of electronic prescribing sends a powerful message about the importance of avoiding medication errors and improving patient safety. We hope more states will emulate Gov. Lynch’s commitment to patients and urge more physicians to promptly move to electronic prescribing.”
The NEPSI coalition was launched in January 2007 to address the public crisis surrounding preventable medication errors, which injures at least 1.5 million Americans and claims more than 7,000 lives each year (Institute of Medicine, 2006).
Interested prescribers can visit the NEPSI web site, http://www.NationaleRx.com, to register for eRx NOW.
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. NEPSI includes national sponsors Allscripts and Dell; executive sponsors Cisco, eRx Networks, Fujitsu, Microsoft, NaviMedix, Quest Diagnostics, Sprint Nextel and Wolters Kluwer Health; healthcare sponsors Aetna, Horizon BCBS of New Jersey and WellPoint; connectivity sponsors SureScripts; and search sponsor Google. The NEPSI offering also is supported by a growing number of academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks and physician groups across the U.S. 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 http://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
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/CONTACT: Dan Michelson, Chief Marketing Officer, +1-312-506-1217,
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(MDRX)
CO: Allscripts; National ePrescribing Patient Safety Initiative; NEPSI
ST: Illinois, New Hampshire
IN: CPR STW HEA MTC
SU: AWD
KS-DE
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8158 10/15/2007 10:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
Source: Allscripts
