This report from Cal eConnect, the California health information exchange governance entity, describes the status of electronic prescribing in California in 2011. Similar to many states, while there are more and more pharmacies, physicians, and other clinical prescribers electronically enabled to use e-prescribing, the actual number of prescriptions being made electronically remains low. While 90% of pharmacies statewide are activated to receive electronic prescriptions, only 25% of physicians are electronically prescribing, and only 16% of eligible prescriptions are being prescribed electronically.
Cal eConnect is pursuing strategies to increase the number of total pharmacies activated, particularly in the 18 counties where the rate of activation is below 70%, and to increase the number of physicians who utilize electronic prescribing, which together should increase the total number of actual electronic prescriptions statewide.
Ignatius Bau 