Monday, April 05, 2010

Federal Register: DEA:Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances:Final Rule


The good news: the DEA will permit electronic prescriptions of controlled substances
The bad news: EHRs will need several new features that may delay implementation for a little while

Conclusion: Another road block to the adoption of e-Prescribing has been removed.
Stay tuned. SV


Highlights:

1) Prescriber in-person identity proofing (fortunately this can be done at a DEA-registered hospital)

2)Authentication protocol would have to be two-factor

3)Pharmacies would have to regularly check on the prescriber’s status

4)Both the electronic prescription service provider and the pharmacy system provider would need to obtain annual third-party audits for security and processing integrity. 3rd party audits

SUMMARY: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is revising its
regulations to provide practitioners with the option of writing
prescriptions for controlled substances electronically. The regulations
will also permit pharmacies to receive, dispense, and archive these
electronic prescriptions. These regulations are in addition to, not a
replacement of, the existing rules. The regulations provide pharmacies,
hospitals, and practitioners with the ability to use modern technology
for controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining the closed
system of controls on controlled substances dispensing; additionally,
the regulations will reduce paperwork for DEA registrants who dispense
controlled substances and have the potential to reduce prescription
forgery. The regulations will also have the potential to reduce the
number of prescription errors caused by illegible handwriting and
misunderstood oral prescriptions. Moreover, they will help both
pharmacies and hospitals to integrate prescription records into other
medical records more directly, which may increase efficiency, and
potentially reduce the amount of time patients spend waiting to have
their prescriptions filled.

Federal Register

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