EPN - Electronic Prescribing News

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 2005--SureScripts today announced the formation of the Clinical Advisory Council, a group of seven physicians who will help guide SureScripts' strategies around health information technology adoption and utilization. As part of its mission, the council will provide insight on physician practice workflow and product developments that improve the prescribing process and overall quality of patient care.

Members of the council are practicing physicians and experienced users of electronic prescribing who connect to their community pharmacies through the SureScripts network. They, like thousands of other physicians, do so using a variety of third-party electronic prescribing and electronic health record software applications. As a result, these physicians are able to automate the prescribing process, making it more safe and efficient for new prescriptions and refills.

"Just because you build it, does not mean they will come," said Kevin Hutchinson, president and chief executive officer of SureScripts. "Technology must accommodate for how people work and communicate with each other in the real world -- and this has never been more true than in healthcare. Establishing the Clinical Advisory Council will further SureScripts' understanding of how physicians and pharmacists collaborate on a local level. In return, it ensures that both will have a voice in the improvement of the overall prescribing process."

The council convened this week for its first summit at SureScripts headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. It is the first of three meetings over the next several months that will examine current issues related to adoption, implementation and the impact of technology on the physician's practice. The summits will also work to identify new opportunities for increased clinical automation.

"Electronic prescribing has clearly shown that it can improve the quality, safety and efficiency of the prescribing process," said Dr. Mark R. Fracasso, an obstetrics and gynecology physician based in Alexandria, VA and a physician advisor to Inova Health System. "Realizing its full potential to benefit patients, however, is going to require greater input from the physician community. As such, I am pleased to serve as an advisor and look forward to helping shape this promising technology's future."

The following seven physicians, representing communities around the United States, are serving on the Clinical Advisory Council:

• Michael Filak, M.D., Family Medicine of Clifton/Centreville, Centreville, VA
• Mark R. Fracasso, M.D., Women's HealthCare Associates, Alexandria, VA
• Dan Kim, M.D., St. Jude Heritage Medical Group, Fullerton, CA
• Smitha Muthialu, M.D., Southwest Medical Associates, Las Vegas, NV
• Richard Olarsch, D.O., Wildwood Family Medical Associates, Wildwood, NJ
• Gregory Oliver, D.O., Oliver Family Healthcare, Indianapolis, IN
• Stephen M. Schwartz, M.D., Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC

This physician team will benefit from the work of existing SureScripts advisory councils representing community pharmacists and a cross-section of healthcare industry executives. Over the past three years, these groups have helped guide the launch and development of the SureScripts electronic prescribing infrastructure. Moving into 2006, the Clinical Advisory Council -- and other physician-focused initiatives -- will build upon this legacy to not only drive network usage for new prescriptions and refills, but enable collaboration around new services as well.

Today's announcement underscores SureScripts and the pharmacy industry's commitment to facilitating holistic approaches in electronic healthcare. By seeking out the wisdom of doctors and combining it with insight from leaders in technology, business and policy, SureScripts continues to demonstrate how the interoperability mandate must apply to stakeholders as well as technologies.

About SureScripts

SureScripts, the largest network provider of electronic prescribing services, is committed to building relationships within the healthcare community and working collaboratively with key industry stakeholders and organizations to improve the safety, efficiency and quality of healthcare by improving the overall prescribing process. At the core of this improvement effort is the SureScripts Electronic Prescribing Network, a healthcare infrastructure, which establishes electronic communications between pharmacists and physicians and enables the two-way electronic exchange of prescription information. More information about SureScripts is available at www.surescripts.com.

SureScripts 
Rob Cronin, 917-414-5289
rob.cronin@surescripts.com