To the Editor:

I’m with Surescripts, we operate the largest health information network connecting over 95% of pharmacies in the nation with e-prescribing.

I want to reach out and provide accurate information around the I-STOP mandate that is coming up. In your article from Saturday, “Sen. Griffo wants state to wait a year on electronic prescriptions” there are some inaccuracies that should be clarified for the benefit of the medical community in New York.

Yes, it is clear that much work is needed to comply by March 27, but according to Surescripts (which connects 95% of pharmacies nationwide), as of January 1, 2015 about 81% of prescribers in New York are already using electronic prescribing, though only 6% of prescribers are enabled for e-prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) as of this past Friday, January 30th.

Some of the nation’s largest EHR software providers are certified for EPCS, so to say that none of the companies have met the DEA’s requirements would be inaccurate. Many of them also operate in New York state. You can find a list of the certified software companies here: http://surescripts.com/network-connections/mns/prescriber-software?epcs=true

We agree that some of the requirements are complex, so it’s understandable that many providers are not sure how to get started. In order to drive utilization of EPCS, providers need to be aware of the requirements and capabilities of their software. In some instances it is as simple as updating to the latest version of their electronic health records (EHR) software, but it is not necessary for the DEA itself to approve each prescriber’s individual EHR software or visit each practitioner’s individual office.

Practices should check with their EHR vendor to see if it is already certified and audited and what steps are required to be compliant. They can visit www.GetEPCS.com to see a step by step guide on how to get compliant.

As one can see there is still a lot of work to do to, but with proper information, education and training, we can work collectively to reduce prescription fraud and abuse.

Ken Whittemore

SVP of regulatory affairs

Surescripts