Canada's National e-Prescription Service is Operational in Ontario
TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Patients' prescriptions have taken a significant step forward in security and convenience with the launch of PrescribeIT™ in Huntsville, Ontario on August 30.
The availability of electronic prescription transmission between Dr. Mathies at the Algonquin Family Health Team and Bill Coon, pharmacist and owner at the Remedy'sRx Muskoka Medical Pharmacy marks an important milestone in realizing Health Canada's vision of a multi-jurisdiction e-prescribing service. PrescribeIT™ will launch in additional communities in Ontario in the coming weeks. Rollout to other provinces and territories will begin in 2018.
"With PrescribeIT's launch, we are helping improve patient safety, reducing harm and costs associated with opioid misuse, while also protecting Canadians' personal health information from being sold or used for marketing or other commercial activities," said Michael Green, president and CEO, Canada Health Infoway.
Added Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care Dr. Eric Hoskins, "PrescribeIT™ contributes to our province's high-quality, publicly funded health care system, and helps to ensure that Ontario's digital health infrastructure continues to provide significant and ongoing improvements for Ontarians."
"It's about time we got rid of the fax machine and I like that my prescription is sent fast and safely to my regular pharmacy," commented patient William T. Neil, whose prescription was the first to be sent through PrescribeIT™.
Over the past several months, Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government, has reached agreements with six provinces representing 61 per cent of the Canadian population including Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. PrescribeIT™ is also working with 16 different community pharmacy companies, with local, regional and national reach, representing more than 2,600 stores in six provinces.
"PrescribeIT™ brings prescribing into the 21st century," said Dr. Mathies, a physician at Algonquin Family Health Team. "PrescribeIT™ is integrated into my electronic medical record, so it lets me send the prescription to my patient's pharmacy with one simple click – it's as easy as pressing send."
"In the short time we have been using PrescribeIT™ we're seeing benefits for the pharmacy and the patients," explained Bill Coon, pharmacist and owner at Remedy'sRx Muskoka Medical Pharmacy. "The prescription is received directly into our system, which eliminates the need to transcribe the prescription and enables faster communication with the patient's doctor."
McKesson Canada, parent company to Remedy'sRx, is one of the community pharmacy groups that will be offering PrescribeIT™. Remedy'sRx Huntsville pharmacy location is the first to implement the service and receive electronic prescriptions.
"Enhancing patient care requires innovation," said Domenic Pilla, CEO, McKesson Canada. "And that is why we decided to be at the leading edge with PrescribeIT™. This service will help ensure patient safety and help provide pharmacists with more time for patient care."
About PrescribeIT™
Canada Health Infoway is working with Health Canada, the provinces and territories, and industry stakeholders to develop, operate and maintain the national e-prescribing service known as PrescribeIT™. PrescribeIT™ will serve all Canadians, pharmacies and prescribers and provide safer and more effective medication management by enabling prescribers to transmit a prescription electronically between a prescriber's electronic medical record (EMR) to the pharmacy management system (PMS) of a patient's pharmacy of choice.
About Canada Health Infoway
Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government.
SOURCE Canada Health Infoway
Media: Dan Strasbourg, Director, Media Relations, Canada Health Infoway, Tel: (416) 595-3424, [email protected]; For all inquiries about PrescribeIT™: Tania Ensor, Group Director, PrescribeIT™ Marketing Strategy & Stakeholder Relations, Canada Health Infoway, Tel: (416) 595-3411, [email protected]
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