E-Prescriptions are unacceptable in current state

[nvsa]

My name is Ken and I am a practicing oral surgeon. Our 3 doctor 3 office practice starting using the e-rx several months ago. So we have had some time to incorporate it's usage into our work flow. Prior to it we just printed prescriptions from WinOMS. With "old" paper scripts we had security issues and difficulty getting prescriptions to some patients during weekends or after hours. So we were excited to go electronic. 

However we learned the hard way that the erx software does NOT pull in documented allergies from the patient's WinOMS medical history. It does pull patient demographic and insurance information from WinOMS. Allergies must be re-entered into the erx software (a rather time intensive procedure in itself). This erx software uses a comprehensive database of medication variables (a good thing) and is why it doesn't tie into WinOMS (which is antiquated in its medical history documentation). Furthermore, our assistants usually enter in prescriptions and our doctors review and approve. The current system allows approval of prescriptions by completely bypassing and never entering a patient's chart. This is a big issue as now the allergies and medication lists are not reviewed prior to authorizing a new prescription. This takes away a critical safeguard to catching wrong prescriptions from being issued. Also the erx's given are not always being charted back into WinOMS. Sometimes it does, most of the time it doesn't and we cannot figure out what makes it stay in WinOMS. 

So I'm sure you are saying "just open the chart yourself before approving." And that's what I have to do now. But this has turned the e-prescription service into now taking way too much of our clinical time to effectively give a patient a rx. Me and my office have spent many hours on the phone with Carestream trying to sort this out. The responses we get are "go to our community blog" and "it's not a WinOMS product." This kind of support is unacceptable. The patient is the most important aspect of our practices and this is a huge potential risk to our patients' safety. This software would not pass any hospitals quality assurance practices. I've used Epic for 7 years now, and it seamlessly incorporates electronic prescribing into it's EMR.  So it can be done. 

So I invite a WinOMS informatics developer to give me a call and work on a resolution for this. 

Kenneth Blais DMD, MD

office 703-998-3971

[deannwagner]

We are also having many issues and are a multi Oral surgery practice.  Our state (MN) also requires Eprescription but, none the less, because the process became so cumbersome, our docs have stopped using it.  We are currently looking for alternate solutions, with no luck.  There needs to be a better solution.......this is unacceptable.  Any update on the allergies item?

Deann Wagner

COO/CFO

952-937-6313

[jeremy_dempsey]

Doctor Blais, 

I apologize for no response here. My understanding is that edbaublitz‌ has been working with your office on the phone. He has submitted details on the allergies item to our R&D team and we are in the process of looking at that. Ed should also be continuing to work with your staff on defining in detail other items impacting you. matt.ackerman‌ or I will provide an update on the allergies item as soon as possible.

[staceyw]

We are also having many issues and are a multi Oral surgery practice wonder if they are related.  We are dealing with many work arounds too with no resolution yet and have been using since late september and now we have to as CT went with the Eprescription law 

[nvsa]

Thanks for the response, Jeremy.  Spoke with Dr. Blais and he said someone left a message but he has not spoken with him.  So I do apologize as I thought no one has called the office.  We do have other issues with e-RX and would appreciate someone reaching out to me instead and I will coordinate with Dr. Blais.  Currently working on another issue and it has been almost 3 weeks without resolution.  Our principal doctor purchased a new phone but he has had issue authorizing prescriptions from his phone.  From what I understand, the problem is with Verizon and his profile.  Your escalation team has been involved.  Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks in advance.

Jhett Epp, Business Mananger

(703) 998-3977

[edbaublitz]

Good evening Ms Epp.

We have spoken in the past during previous calls for your practice. I know that there are multiple practices.

Could you please provide me with the best contact number and time to reach you so that we may work on these issues. You may email me directly (Edward.baublitz@csdental.com). Please include the account or office telephone number when you contact me. I am looking forward to working with you to resolve these issues.

Thank you.

[nvsa]

A month later and no response.  My doctors are getting really frustrated with ERX and asking "Why are we paying for this?"  Someone please get in touch with me.  The support team is not much help.  Thank you.

[matt_ackerman]

Dr. Blais, thank you for this feedback.  I am interested to hear from the Support and R&D teams what they think might be going on here.  I will discuss it with them and see what the path forward might be.

lontaylor‌ & mczar - you might be interested in this as well.