Surescripts, a health information network focused on e-prescriptions, joined forces with five EHR vendors and two pharmacy benefit managers to improve prescription price transparency, the company announced Nov. 7.
The Surescripts Real-Time Prescription Benefit solution will deliver information from CVS Health and Express Scripts — PBMs that represent nearly two-thirds of U.S. patients — to EHRs for prescribers to access at the point of care. The participating EHR vendors — Allscripts, Aprima Medical Software, Cerner, Epic and GE Healthcare — comprise 53 percent of the U.S. physician base, according to Surescripts.
The goal of the program is to provide prescribers with patient-specific prescription benefit price information to ensure patients and prescribers are able to jointly select an appropriate and affordable medication. After the physician completes electronic authorization from within the EHR workflow, the prescription is delivered to the pharmacy.
"Together with our partners, we're delivering value back to the network in the form of greater price transparency and a streamlined workflow — two keys to patients getting the right drug at the right time, and at a cost that lets them start and stick with their medication therapy," said Tom Skelton, CEO of Surescripts.