HHS Announces New E-Prescribing Initiative

HHS Announces New E-Prescribing Initiative

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will air a satellite news feed of b-roll and sound bites on Wednesday, October 5, 2005, at 3:30pm ET, on the following:

KEY FACTS:

New regulations that support adoption of e-prescribing and electronic health records were announced today by HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. These proposals will speed the adoption of health information technologies by hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers to improve quality and safety for Medicare beneficiaries and all Americans.

Electronic prescribing enables physicians to transmit prescriptions electronically to pharmacies. Not only is this easier than paper prescriptions, but it also can improve patient safety, increase efficiency and reduce duplicative health care costs. It decreases prescription errors caused by hard-to-read handwriting and automates the process of checking for drug interactions and allergies.

CMS is awarding the first big financial incentive for Health IT -- $6 million to fund e-prescribing pilot programs using the foundation standards and additional clinical standards, as required by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.

  ON THIS FEED:   * Key facts about the e-prescribing initiative    * Secretary Michael O. Leavitt, Health and Human Services    * Dr. David J. Brailer, M.D., PhD., National Coordinator for Health     Information Technology    * Deputy Administrator Leslie Norwalk, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid     Services    * B-Roll of the press conference at George Washington University Medical     Center, a patient and doctor in an exam room using the electronic     prescribing and electronic record system, seniors talking to doctors,     various shots of doctors and patients, pharmacy scenes, and doctor's     office scenes.                        Satellite Coordinates and Times                         Wednesday, October 5, 2005                               15:30-16:00 ET                              C-Band Satellite                            IA 5 Transponder 13                     Downlink Frequency: 3860 Vertical                              Audio: 6.2 / 6.8              For Satellite Feed information call 202-690-6076  

For more information on the Medicare Covers America Tour, call the HHS Press Office: 202-690-6343

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

CONTACT: HHS Press Office, +1-202-690-6343

PRNewswire -- Oct. 5

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Web site: http://www.hhs.gov/