 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Need to cut your prescription drug costs? You may want to visit a doctor who uses an electronic prescribing system.
A new study reveals doctors who utilize e-prescribing systems are more likely to prescribe a lower cost generic drug over a more expensive brand-name medication compared to doctors who use traditional prescribing methods.
Text Continues Below
Researchers saw after implementation of e-prescribing systems in community-based practices in Massachusetts, prescriptions of low cost generics rose 6.6 percent over a year and a half, while prescriptions for drugs with higher copayments decreased.
At these rates, researchers estimate using an e-prescribing system could results in savings of $0.70 per patient per month, or $845,000 annually for 100,000 patients. The potential savings increase with more availability and use of e-prescribing; for complete e-prescribing use, the projected savings are $3.91 million per 100,000 patients per year, the authors write.
SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2008;168:2433-2439
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Lindsay Braun at lbraun@ivanhoe.com.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
|
.gif)
