The way you fill prescription is about to change, but not as soon as originally planned. NY1’s Health Reporter Erin Billups filed this story on what the new electronic prescription mandate means for doctors, pharmacies and patients.
Walking into a pharmacy with that little piece of paper from your doctor will be a thing of the past. Under a change in state law providers will have to file prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy. The goal is to prevent the filling of phony prescriptions to help cut down on a form of drug abuse rampant in areas like Staten Island.
"Not only should this help prevent so much diversion of drugs, which is the original intent of it, but also it will improve the accuracy," says Dr. Andrew Kleinman, president of the Medical Society of the State of New York.
It will also make it easier for pharmacists to decipher those often illegible prescriptions.
The state law requiring electronic prescriptions was set to take effect next Friday, but Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill delaying it. Kleinman, says it's a victory for patient safety.
"The delay will really ensure a smooth transition into this. I want it to work. I want to make sure that it's good for patients, it's good for the system," Kleinman says.
Doctors, hospitals and nursing homes had two years to prepare, but their software vendors needed more time to build better programs and get cleared by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Providers' electronic systems also need to be cleared by the DEA in order to write prescriptions for controlled substances like oxycodone or hydrocodone. Kleinman says there are other kinks that still need to be worked out.
"When you send a prescription to one pharmacy, if that pharmacy is closed or if that pharmacy does not have that medication in stock, you can't automatically transfer that prescription to another pharmacy. So if it's after hours, your physician is not available, then it's a problem," says Kleinman.
The new law now goes into effect March 27, 2016.